
Class. 
Book. 




RUINS OF ASKELON. 




JEWS SETTING UP THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS. 



*+ 



**»«*'• J^ 



fy 



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4 



TELLING ABOUT THE 



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GEOGRAPHY OF THE BIBLE. 







WITH MANY ENGRAVINGS. 



BOSTON: 

AMERICAN STATIONERS' COMPANY, 

1S37. 



3> 






Entered according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by S. G-. Goodrich, 
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 



NOTE TO TEACHERS OF SABBATH AND COMMON SCHOOLS. 

The author suggests to teachers that the questions appended to the lessons 
in the following work should not be implicitly followed, in the instruction of 
all pupils. Simpler questions maybe framed for the youngest scholars, and 
more comprehensive ones for those that are well advanced. On going through 
the book a second time, many other questions may be added by the teacher. 
It Will be observed that there are numerous references to texts of scripture, 
which the learner may commit to memory, or not, as the instructor thinks 
best. Avery few r questions are inserted, to which no direct answer is found 
in the book ; these the child may answer from his own knowledge or reflec- 
tion, or if need be, he can be aided by the teacher. In order to fix the subject 
permanently in the mind, it is recommended that every pupil go through 
the book three times, at least. 









PREFACE FOR PARENTS. 



"Was there really such a place as Jerusalem V said a boy to his father, in 
my hearing; a short time since. Now this child had been accustomed to read 
the Scriptures, and was familiar with the New Testament. Why, then, this 
doubt as to the actual existence of that city in which the principal events 
occurred which are recorded in the Gospels ? It doubtless arose from a want 
of definite knowledge of the geography of the country in which it was situated j 
and I am disposed to think that much of the childish incredulity that after- 
wards grows into positive infidelity arises from the same source. 

It has appeared to me that one of the best means of anticipating this evil, is 
to make Bible geography a very early study with children. If we carry the 
imagination of a child to Asia ; if we show him that Jerusalem still exists ; it we 
point out the sea of Galilee, the river Jordan, the garden of Gethsemane ; if we 
make him understand the relative position of these objects, their distances one 
from the other ; if we show him the hills, mountains, rivers, and vallies where 
Christ and his disciples met, or preached, or journeyed ; — I think we take one 
of the surest means of establishing an early confidence in the truth of the 
Scriptures. 

If this view of the subject is right, nothing can be more important than to 
make our children acquainted with the places mentioned in the Bible. Nor is 
a conviction of the truth of the Bible the only benefit to be derived from this 
course. We all know that our interest in any narrative is much increased by 
being well acquainted with the places where the events narrated occurred. 
Add to this, also, that the comprehension is quickened, and the memory aided, 
"by a knowledge of the country in which the scene of any story is laid 



PREFACE. 

The leading objects of this book, then, are to fortify the youthful mind in a 
belief of the Scriptures— to increase his interest, and aid his comprehension, in 
the perusal of the sacred pages. To secure these desirable ends, I have 
endeavored to carry my little reader with me across the Atlantic and the 
Mediterranean, and place him on the shores of Palestine ; I have endeavored 
to show him that Jerusalem really exists, that the waters of the Jordan still 
continue to flow, and that the sea of Galilee which bore our Savior and his 
disciples upon its bosom is still to be seen ; I have endeavored to show that 
nature is thus a witness to the truth of the Bible, and that the scattered ruins 
of temples and cities, now gone to decay, also speak of those times of which the 
Bible speaks, and thus attest its veracity. I have also endeavored, by the 
use of maps, and other means, to give a clear idea of the various countries 
mentioned in the Scriptures, their extent and boundaries, the position of moun* 
tains, the relative situation of cities and their distances from each other, the 
character of climates, the aspect of nature, and the manners and customs of 
the people in the various countries. 

I have wished to make this little book a fit companion and friend for child- 
hood — one that might be invited into the family circle, and cherished in the 
school-room, and perhaps in the Sunday school. I have woven in with my 
story a slight historical sketch of the Jews, both as adding interest to the 
subject, and as indispensable to the exhibition of the changing geography of the 
Holy Land from the time of Abraham to the period of our Savior. And if I 
have failed in accomplishing the objects I proposed, I hope at least I may bege* 
a persuasion that the subject is one of great interest, and worthy of occupying 
more able pens than that of 

PETER PARLEY. 



CONTENTS. 



INTRODUCTION. 

Page. 

Parley says he is going to tell about Jerusalem and other places men- 
tioned in the Bible. .--.--- 9 

LESSON II. 
Parley tells about the shape of the earth. How it is divided, and how to 
go to Joppa. ---.-.<•- 11 

LESSON III. 
Parley takes a fancy trip with his young readers. They go to Jerusalem, 
and see strange things by the way. ----- 17 

LESSON IV. 
Going about Jerusalem, and seeing how different it is now from what it 
was in ancient times j about the streets, houses, shops, and the poor 
Jews. - - - - - - - - -22 

LESSON V. 
Parley tells more about Jerusalem. About the buildings, climate and pro- 
ductions. About other parts of Palestine or the Holy Land. - 25 

LESSON VI. 
Parley having told about Jerusalem as it is now, informs the reader that it 
was once very different, and that other places have changed also. - 29 
LESSON VII. 
Parley tells what the principal countries were that are mentioned in the 
Old and New Testament. - - - - - - 33 

LESSON VIII. 
About the names of Palestine — its climate, vegetable productions, animals, 
birds and insects. ....... - 37 

LESSON IX. 
About the rivers, seas and lakes of Palestine. * 41 

LESSON X. 
About the mountains, caves, and deserts of Palestine. - - - 46 

LESSON XI. 
Parley tells about Palestine, as it was in the time of Christ. About Judea: 52 

LESSON XII. 
About Jerusalem. Its wonderful history from the earliest ages to the pre- 
sent time. ........55 

LESSON XIII. 
A particular description of Jerusalem. How it was built on four hills. 
About other interesting places in Judea. 59 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

LESSON XIV. 
About the province of Samaria j the Samaritans. The city of Samaria 
and other interesting places. ------ 67 

LESSON XV. 
About Galilee. -------- 71 

LESSON XVI. 
About Perea. General remarks concerning the Jewish people ; their per- 
sonal appearance j their dispersion and preservation j prophecies re- 
specting them. ... . 76 

LESSON XVII. 
Manners and customs of Eastern nations, particularly of the Jews. 
About their houses, reverences, inns, bread, ovens, napkins and presents. 80 

LESSON XVIII. 
Manners and customs of the Jews continued ; agriculture, clothing, dress, 
trade or commerce, and money. - - 1 - - - 84 

LESSON XIX. 
About the labors of the Apostles j the great work they had to per- 
form in spreading the Gospel. - - 88 

LESSON XX. 
About Syria. - - - - - 94 

LESSON XXI. 

About Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia and Rome. - - - 96 

LESSON XXII. 
The travels of the Apostles. ----- 102 

LESSON XXIII. 
About the first inhabitants of the earth ; where they settled ; Abraham, 
Lot, &c. . • - - - ... io7 

LESSON XXIV. 
About Egypt. ... . - < 114 

LESSON XXV. 
How the Jews wandered for forty years. - 122 

LESSON XXVI. 

About the various nations that the Jews found in the land of Canaan • 
how they conquered these nations and divided the lands among the 
Twelve Tribes, and various other matters. About Assyria, and Babylon. 128 

LESSON XXVII. 

About Persia. The Story of the Jews, continued. - - . 135 

LESSON XXVIII. 
Review of the whole story. ----►. 140 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



INTRODUCTION. 
Parley says he is going to tell about Jerusalem and other 
places mentioned in the Bible. 

1. I suppose you have often read in the Bible, about 
Cain and Abel, about the Flood of waters, and how Noah 
and his family \tfere saved in an ark ; and about Joseph, 
w T ho was sold by his brethren, and taken to Egypt, 
where he became a great man: 

2. About David, who slew a giant and afterwards be- 
came a king ; about Solomon, who built a splendid tem- 
ple ; about Daniel the Prophet, who was cast into a den 
of lions and yet was not hurt : 

3. About Jesus Christ, who performed many miracles, 
and having been slain, rose from the dead, and ascended 
to Heaven ; about his disciples, who went to tell the 
people the wonderful story of our Saviour: 

4. About Paul who travelled through many countries, 
crossed many mountains, rivers, and seas, and passed 
through many adventures, that he might preach the Gos- 
pel to the people of many lands. 

5. I suppose you have read about all these things; and 
would you not like to know something about the coun- 



10 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

tries where these wonderful persons lived, and where 
these great events happened 1 

6. Would you not like to know something about the 
city of Jerusalem, where Christ was often seen walking 
in the streets ; about Bethlehem, where he was born, and 
Nazareth, where he dwelt for a long time ? 

7. Would you not like to know something about 
Egypt, where Moses was found by Pharaoh's daughter, 
in the bulrushes ; would you not like to know some- 
thing about the Red Sea, which was crossed by the 
Israelites, in their departure out of Egypt ; about that 
awful Mount Sinai, where God spoke to Moses ; about 
the countries through which the Israelites passed, in their 
wonderful march of forty years ? 

8. Would you not like to know, where that famous 
mountain is, called Ararat, upon which the Ark of Noah 
rested, when the flood of waters began to dry up ; 
where Sodom and Gomorrah were, those cities of the 
plain, consumed by fire from Heaven ? 

9. I am sure you would like to know these things, 
and I am now going to write a little book, in which I 
shall tell you about them. I shall try to make you under- 
stand where Jerusalem is ; what sort of a place it is 
now, and what sort of a place it was, in the time of 
Christ. I shall tell you of the towns and cities around 
Jerusalem, and about other places mentioned in the 
Bible. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



11 



10. I shall tell you of the rivers, valleys, lakes, seas 
and hills ; I shall tell you about the people called Jews ; 
I shall tell you how they looked, how they dressed, what 
kind of houses they had, and many other things. 

11. I shall tell you about Egypt as it is now, and as 
it was when Moses dwelt there ; about several cities, 
visited by the apostles ; and about Greece and Rome 
where Paul preached. 

12. After you have read these stories, I hope you will 
be able to understand the Bible better, and I am sure 
the better you understand it, the more you will love it. 

Questions. 



In what two parts is the Bible divided ? Ans. 

The Old and New Testament. 
1 . Is the story of Cain and Abel in the Old or 

New Testament ? 
In which part is the story of the Deluge 1 

3. Where is the story of Jesus Christ and the 

Apostles 1 
What did Jesus Christ do ? 

4. In what part of the Bible is the story of Paul ? 
What did Paul do? 



6. In what city did Christ often walk about ? 
Where was he born 1 

Where did he dwell for a long time ? 

7. What can you tell me about Moses ? 
What of the Red Sea 7 

8. On what mountain did the Ark rest after the 

deluge. 
What cities were destroyed by fire ? 
11. Who dwelt in Egypt? 
Where did Paul preach ? 



Parley 



LESSON II. 
tells about the shape of the earth. How it is 
divided, and how to go to Joppa. 

1. You no doubt remember that the world is round, 
like a ball, and that it is surrounded by the sky, which 
is filled with stars. You remember that the surface of 
the earth is divided into land and water ; that the land 



MAP OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 



NTAINING NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, AND A PART OF THE ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, NORTH 
ERN AND SOUTHERN OCEANS. 




The top of tho map \a North ; the right hand East ; the bottom South ; the left hand West 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 13 

consists of two great continents ; and that the water is 
divided into oceans, seas, bays and gulfs. 

2. At page 12 is a picture of one half of the earth ; it 
shows you the continent of America, which is about nine 
thousand miles long. On the east of it, lies the Atlantic 
Ocean, and on the w r est the Pacific Ocean. 

3. At page 14 is a picture of the Eastern Continent ; it 
is divided into three portions, called Europe, Africa and 
Asia ; the Atlantic Ocean lies between America, where 
we live, and the Eastern Continent. The distance 
across this ocean from one continent to the other is in 
some places twentyfive hundred miles, in others three 
thousand miles. 

4. You will see, on the picture of the Eastern Conti- 
nent, the Mediterranean Sea lying between Europe, Af- 
rica and Asia. At page 16 is a picture of this sea ; you 
will observe that Europe is to the north ; Africa to the 
west ; and Asia to the east of it. 

5. Now the countries mentioned in the Old and New 
Testament, lie around this sea ; some in Africa, some in 
Asia, and some in Europe. Egypt for instance is' in 
Africa, Jerusalem is in Asia, and Greece and Rome are 
in Europe. 

6. I shall tell you by and by about St Paul, and you 
will then see that he sailed across the Mediterranean, 
and visited many towns, both in Asia and Europe. 



MAP OF THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE. 



OTTAININ* EUROPE. ASIA, AFRICA AND NEW HOLLAND ; ALSO, THE INDIAN OCEAN, AND A 
PART OF THE ATLANTIC, PACIFIC, NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN OCEANS. 




Which way is Cape Horn from the United States 1 Which way are the West ^ c ^°^ h ^? d ^ 
ilaridg? Which way is New Holland from Arabia? Palestine from Cape Horn? Capo .of bood Hope 
■om Van Diemen's Land ? 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 15 

7. The Mediterranean Sea lies in an easterly direction 
from us ; in going to it you must cross the Atlantic 
Ocean. At the distance of nearly four thousand miles 
from New York, you come to the entrance of the 
Mediterranean, called the Straits of Gibraltar. 

8. These Straits are about fifteen miles in width ; on 
the left hand side, you will see the tall rock of Gibraltar: 
on the right hand you will see the coast of Africa. 

9. After leaving Gibraltar, you enter the Mediterra- 
nean Sea. - This sea is surrounded on all sides by cities, 
full of people. 

10. On the south side, in Africa, are Algiers, Tunis, 
Tripoli, Alexandria and other celebrated places. 

11. On the north side, in Europe, are many cities in 
Italy, and Greece and Turkey. But you must leave 
them, and proceed on your voyage, if you wish to get 
to Jerusalem. 

12. The countries around the Mediterranean, have 
been the scenes of the most remarkable events in his- 
tory. They have been known for thousands of years, 
and here cities, empires, states and kingdoms, have 
flourished and fallen into decay. 

13. After sailing in an easterly direction, for a long 
time, you will come to the shore of Asia ; here you will 
find a city by the name of Jaffa or Joppa. At this 
place you may leave your ship, and travel by land to 



PICTURE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA 




BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



17 



Jerusalem, which is only about fortyfive miles distant 
from Jaffa. 



Questions. 



What is the shape of the earth ? 

By what is it surrounded ? * 

How is the surface of the earth divided ? 

How long is the continent of America ? 

What ocean on the east of America ? 

What on the west ? 

Into what two parts is America divided ? 

Where is Cape Horn ? 

Will you mark the shape of South America 
on a piece of paper ? 

Will you mark the shape of North America ? 

"Do you live in North or South America ? 

Do you live in- the eastern or" western part 
of North America ? 

What Country do you live in ? What State ? 
What town? 

In what direction is Boston from where you 
live? 

In what direction is New York ? Philadel- 
phia ? Washington ? 

Point your finger toward Boston. New 
York. 

How far is it from where you live to Boston ? 
to New York ? to Washington ? 

Into what three parts is the Eastern Contin- 
ent divided ? 

Which of these parts occupy as the Southern 
portion of the Eastern Continent ? 



Which the Eastern ? 

Which the North Western ? 

What ocean lies between the eastern and 

western continent ? 
What is the distance across the Atlantic ? 

4. Where is the Mediterranean Sea ? 
What lies south of it ? 

What lies north ? 
What east ? 
What west ? 

5. Where do the countries mentioned in the Bi- 

ble lie ? 
Where is Egypt? Jerusalem? Greece? 
Rome ? 

6. What did St Paul do ? 

7. Which way does the Mediterranean Sea lie 

from us ? 
What ocean must you cross in going to it ? 
How far from New York are the Straits of 

Gibraltar ? 

8. How wide are the Straits of Gibraltar ? 
What may be seen on the left hand as you 

pass these Straits ? On the right ? 
13. At which end of the Mediterranean Sea ia 

Jaffa ? 
Is Jaffa in Europe, Asia, or Africa ? 
Where is Jaffa mentioned in the Bible ? See, 

Jonah 1st chapter, 3d verse. Acts ix. 43. 



LESSON III. 

Parley takes a fancy trip ivith his young readers. They 

go to Jerusalem^ and see strange things by the way. 

1. The Mediterranean Sea is about two thousand 
miles in length ; Jerusalem is about six thousand miles 
from Boston or New York ; it is nearly in a southeast* 
erly direction from these places* 

2 



BIBLE GEOGRArHY. 



19 



2. It is an easy thing now-a-days for a person who 
has plenty of money, to visit Jerusalem ; and a great 
many persons go every year, to see that famous city. 

3. I am a little too old really to make a voyage across 
the Atlantic, with my young readers ; but we can easily 
fancy that we enter a ship at New York ; sail to the 
east over the wide Atlantic ; pass through the Straits of 
Gibraltar ; proceed to the eastern extremity of the Med- 




View of Jaffa, or Joppa. 

iterranean ; and after an absence of about two months, 
that we land at the little city of Jaffa. 

4. As soon as we touch the shore, we shall perceive 



20 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

that we are in a strange land ; we shall see that the 
houses are very different from ours ; we shall see no 
coaches, chaises or wagons in the streets. • 

5. There will be some horses, and many camels ; the 
men will not be dressed in coats and pantaloons ; nor 
the women in gowns and bonnets : they will all have a 
very strange appearance to us. We shall observe, that 
they have all dark skins and that some are almost black. 

6. If we wish to travel from Jaffa to Jerusalem, we 
shall find no rail road cars, nor stage coaches, in which 
we may go ; the roads are indeed very bad, and we 
must travel on foot or upon mules or camels or horses. 

7. As we pass along, everything will remind us that 
we are six thousand miles from home; we shall remark 
that the fields are not enclosed by fences ; that the cat- 
tle have all humps on their backs, like buffaloes ; and 
that the very face of nature is strange. 

8. We shall meet with no bright villages lik<? those of 
our New England ; we shall see no white farm houses 
scattered over the hills ; the country will generally ap- 
pear gloomy and desolate. We shall occasionally meet 
with villages, the houses of which are partly of mud and 
partly of stone ; on the hills, we shall sometimes see \ 
olive trees and vineyards. 

9 We shall meet on our road, no coaches, wagons, 
or omnibuses ; sometimes we shall see the people trav- 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



21 



elling on horseback, and sometimes on camels ; we shall 
find no hotels with bright signs, where we can get any 
thing we wish. The inns we shall meet with will be 
built of stone, and will be dark and dismal. 

10. We shall observe that the country through which 
we pass is often lonely, waste and barren ; sometimes 
we shall see tall, rugged mountains and silent valleys, 
where scarcely a tree or shrub or flower is seen, and 
where no living thing appears to dwell, except the 
hawk, or vulture that Covers in the air. 



fe3S====== '■ i?gSg 


■00,1 




[l__r ^^^fe ^SBIil 


.'■ *.... 


L,^ 







View of Jerusalem as you approach it. 



22 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



11. We shall sometimes meet with heaps of stones; 
among which we shall discover the remains of some 
ancient city, which time has buried in ruins. These will 
tell us, that this land is not now what it once was ; they 
will tell us that cities once existed, and that a people 
once flourished here, which are now passed away. 

12. At length, we shall meet with crowds of people, 
and the wider road will assure us that we are approach- 
ing a great city. At a distance, we shall see many 
houses surrounded by a high stone wall ; we shall pass 
through one of the gates of this wall, and find ourselves 
in the streets of Jerusalem. 

Questions. 



1. What is the length of the Mediterranean 
Sea? 
How far is Jerusalem from Boston or New 

York? 
In what direction is Jerusalem from New 
York ? Point your finger to it. 

3. What ocean must we cross to go to Jerusa- 

lem. 
What straits must we pass through ? 
What sea must we cross ? 
Point your finger towards Jaffa ? 

4. What shall we notice at Jafla ? 



3. How must we travel from Jaffa to Jerusalem ? 
7: What of the fields ? The cattle ? The peo- 
ple. 
S. What of the country ? 

What shall we occasionally meet witb ? 

What shall we see on the hills ? 
9. What shall we not meet ? 

How will the people travel ? 

What of hotels and inns ? 

11. What of ruins? 

12. By what is Jerusalem surrounded ? 



LESSON IV. 
Going about Jerusalem, and seeing how different it is 
now from what it was in ancient times ; about the 
streets, houses, shops, and the poor Jews. 

1. How strange must be our feelings, on finding our- 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 23 

selves in Jerusalem ; in that city, where Christ was wont 
to walk about the streets ; where king David dwelt, and 
w r here Solomon built his mighty temple ! 

2. With what interest shall w r e go from place to place, 
and say to ourselves, this is the Garden of Gethsemane, 
where Christ watched with his disciples ; this is Calvary 
where he died, to save the human family from the 
bondage of sin ! 

3. But alas ! how much this great city has changed 
since the time of Christ! It was then, and had been for 
ages, the centre of the Jewish worship ; it was called 
the Holy city, and its Temple was considered the pecu- 
liar dwelling place of the Most High. It was also a 
place of great commerce ; was filled wdth costly edifices, 
and crowded with a vast population. 

4. Now, in passing through the city, you will find the 
streets narrow, dark and dirty, and in many of them, 
you will scarcely meet with a single person. There are 
a few shops, but these are miserably supplied with 
goods ; the houses are built of stone, but have no win- 
dows looking into the streets ; they have the appearance 
of prisons, rather than of dwellings. 

5. If you go to look for the Temple, once glittering 
with gold, and in the time of Christ, presenting a busy 
scene of merchants and money-changers ; you will find 



24 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

that the prophecy, which foretold its destruction, has 
been fulfilled, and that one stone has not been left upon 
another. 

6. If you look about for the haughty High Priest, and 
proud Pharisee, of our Saviour's time, you will not find 
them ; you will indeed discover that the whole Jewish 
nation, has passed away, scattered, agreeably to the 
words of prophecy, to the four winds of heaven, except 
a miserable remnant, who still cling to the Holy City. 

7. These dwell in poverty, and suffer every species 
of wrong and contempt from the Turks, who are now 
the ruling people, not only in Jerusalem, but throughout 
Palestine. Yet still these poor Jews love to dwell in 
the city of David ; here they live and worship as their 
fathers did, thousands of years before. 

8. They are cheered with the hope and the belief, 
that God will soon send a king, whom they call the Mes- 
siah, to rebuild the Temple, to gather the scattered sons 
of Israel, to restore the ancient Jewish worship, and 
to bring Jerusalem back to its former splendor. 

9. Animated by these bright hopes, they submit to 
insult and injustice, carefully instructing their children 
to read the books of the Old Testament in the Hebrew 
language ; and to worship after the fashion of their 
fathers. Thus they live ; and when they die are secretly 
buried by their companions in the valley of Jehosaphat. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



25 



Questions. 



3. What of Jerusalem in Christ's time ? 

4. How shall we find the streets of Jerusalem 

now? 
What of the shops ? 
What of the houses ? 

5. What of Solomon's Temple ? 



6. The Jewish nation ? 

7. What do the Jews suffer at the hands of the 

Turks ? 
What do the Jews love to do 1 

8. What is their hope and belief ? 

9. What else can you tell of these Jews 7 



LESSON V. 

Parley tells more about Jerusalem. About the buildings, 
climate and productions. About other parts of Pales- 
tine or the Holy Land. 

1. We shall find Jerusalem to be a city of desolation ; 
it is true there are many splendid buildings, and as you 
approach the place, it has an aspect of magnificence ; 
but when you enter the city, the people generally appear 
to be poor, sullen and unhappy. 

m 2. The number of inhabitants is probably about fifteen 
thousand ; many of them Turks, some of them Greeks, 
a few Jews, and some Christians. A great many Pil- 
grims come to visit the city from different parts of Asia, 
every year. 

3. There is a fine building three hundred feet long, 
covering the ground, where our Saviour was crucified 
and buried. It is called the church of the Holy Sepul- 
chre. At p. 26 is a picture of the interior of this church. 
In the centre, is a splendid tomb, covered with damask 

B 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 27 

hangings, striped with gold ; over it fortyfour lamps are 
suspended, some of silver and some of gold ; these are 
always kept lighted by monks who attend upon the 
church. 

4. This place is the chief object of interest to all per- 
sons who visit Jerusalem. There are about a dozen 
Mosques in the city, one of which is situated on Mount 
Moriah, where Solomon's Temple was built ; there are 
also five or six Synagogues, and several Monasteries. 

5. The place called the Tomb of the Kings, lying a 
little out of the city, is remarkable, it being the place 
where it is supposed some of the kings of Judah were 
buried. It is visited by all strangers who go to Jerusalem. 

6. The climate of Palestine is very beautiful, and 
the country around Jerusalem is naturally fertile; in 
some places, it is finely cultivated and there you may 
see rich crops of wheat, olive groves, vineyards, fig-trees, 
orange trees, and other productions of a warm climate. 

7. If you take your leave of Jerusalem, and travel 
throughout the neighboring countries, you will find that 
the same Sun, and the same Moon, that shone down 
upon Abraham, David and Solomon, now shine upon the 
places in which they dwelt. 

8. You will find the same mountains, the same rivers, 
the same valleys, and the same lakes that existed in an- 
cient times. Many of them have changed their names, 



28 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. " 



but the great works of nature remain nearly the same. 
It is otherwise with the works of man ; towns, cities, 
villages, temples, are either destroyed, or so changed, as 
scarcely to resemble what they once were. 

9. Many of them are utterly in ruins, and not a ves- 
tige now remains of many cities, which in ancient times 
were renowned for their splendor. The 4 very place 
where Babylon the Great once stood is not known with 




Tadmor in the Desert. 



certainty ; and Tadmor, famed for its magnificence, 
is now a heap of ruins. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



29 



Questions. 



1 . What can you say of Jerusalem % , 

2. What is the number of inhabitants ? 
What are the inhabitants ? 

What of Pilgrims ? 

3. Where is the church of the Holy Sepulchre 

situated 1 
Describe this Church ? 

4. What of the Mosques ? Synagogues ? Mo- 

nasteries ? 
What is a Mosque ? Ans. A building in 

which the Mahomedans worship. 
What is a Synagogue ? Ans. A building in 

which the Jews worship. 
What is a Monastery ? Ans. A place in 



which Monks or Nuns live, devoting them- 
selves to prayer and religious rites and cer- 
emonies. 

5. What of the tomb of the Kings % 

6. What of the climate of Palestine ? 
The country round Jerusalem ? 

7. What of the Sun and Moon ? 

8. Mountains, rivers, valleys, &c. 

Have they the same names now as in ancient 

times ? 
What of the works of man, towns, cities, 

villages, &c. ? 

9. What of Eabylon ? 
What of Tadmor I 



LESSON VI. 
Parley having told about Jerusalem as it is now, informs 
the reader that it was once very different, and that other 
places have changed also. 

1. You have now some idea of Jerusalem, as it is at 
present. This being the principal city mentioned in the 
Scriptures, and the capital of the Jews, we may prop- 
erly make it the starting point, from which we go forth 
to study other countries, spoken of in the Holy Scrip- 
tures. 

2. Before we proceed to do this, let me remind you 
that all the events spoken of in the Bible took place long 
since \ it is now about eighteen hundred years, since the 
last events, described in the Scriptures occurred. You 
must remember therefore, that great changes have hap- 
pened since Bible times. 



PICTURE OF THE 

WESTERN HEMISPHERE 




SHOWING THE WESTERN CONTINENT BEFORE IT WAS PEOPLED FROM EUROPE, AND fiGFORE THE * 
PRESENT NAMES WERE GIVEN TO THE COUNTRIES, THE SEAS, &C. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 31 

3. It is true, as I have said, that the great works of 
God remain nearly unchanged. The climate is 
the same now in the land of Canaan, that it was four 
thousand years ago, in the days of Abraham ; the moun- 
tains also, remain in their places ; and the seas continue 
to be encircled by the same shores. 

4. But kings and rulers are changed ; nations have 
passed away, and others occupy their places ; kingdoms 
have been swept from the earth, and others flourish 
amidst their ruins. Cities, palaces and thrones, have 
crumbled into dust; some to be revived no more; and 
others to give place to new ones. 

5. To make you feel what great changes have taken 
place since the things happened, which are spoken of in 
the Bible, I will show you, at page 30, a picture of 
America, then unknown ; 

6. It is now, as you know, covered with towns, cities 
and villages, and names are given to the rivers, mountains, 
seas and lands ; but in Bible times, there was probably 
not a human being throughout this whole hemisphere. 

T^^he rivers were flowing down the hills; the 
mountains reared their heads, and the green forests cov- 
ered them ; but man had not yet come to look upon 
these things, and give them naines. 

8. The names now given to Europe, Asia, and Africa, 
were not used in ancient times, nor do they occur in 



THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE, 

INCLUDING EUROPE, AFRICA AND ASIA. 




THE DOTTED LINE SHOWS THE EXTENT OF THE COUNTRIES MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE j Til 
ARE A PART IN ASIA, A PART IN EUROPE AND A PART IN AFRICA. THEY ALL LIE AKOU 
AND NEAR THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



33 



any part of the Bible, except that Asia is used in the 
New Testament, to denote some small portions of coun- 
try. All the countries mentioned in the sacred volume 
occupied not more than one third part of the eastern 
continent. 

9. The north of Europe ; the middle and southern 
portions of Africa ; the northern and western portions 
of Asia, were unknown in these ancient times. The 
map of the Eastern Continent, at page 32, will show you 
i how small a part of the globe was known to the persons 
who wrote the Bible. 1 

Questions. 



1. What of Jerusalem ? 

2. How long is it since the last events mention- 
ed in the Scriptures took place ? 

3. What of the climate of Canaan ? Moun- 
tains ? Seas 3 

4. What of kings and rulers? Nations? 
Kingdoms ? Cities ? Palaces ? 

6. What of America now ? 



What of America in Bible times ? 

8. What of Europe, Asia and Africa ? 

How large a portion of the Eastern Continent 
is occupied by the places mentioned in the 
Scriptures ? 

9. What countries were unknown in these an- 

cient times ? 



LESSON VII. 

Parley tells what the principal countries were that are 
mentioned in the Old and New Testament. 

1. On the next page is a map of the principal countries 
mentioned in the Bible. Some of these countries, as I 
have before said, are in Europe, some in Africa, and some 
in Asia. The countries in Asia are Canaan, or Palestine, 
Syria, Mesopotamia or Padan-aram, Assyria, Shinar, Bab- 
o 



BIBLE GEOGRAPAY. 35 

ylonia or Chaldea, Arabia, Persia or Elam, Media, Asia 
Minor, and Parthia. There are some other countries in 
Asia mentioned in the Bible; but these are the most in- 
teresting 

2. The principal countries in Europe, mentioned in 
the Bible are Greece, including Macedonia, and Italy, 
together with the islands of Malta, Crete, Rhodes and 
Cyprus, lying in the Mediterranean Sea. 

3. The principal countries in Africa mentioned in the 
Bible are Egypt and Cush, or Ethiopia, as it is generally 
called. 

4. I hope you will study the map well, so that you 
may understand the situation of these various countries. 
You will then more easily comprehend what I am going 
to tell you about them. I shall begin with Canaan, and 
then proceed to describe the other countries mentioned 
in the Bible. I shall try to make this matter very plain 
to you. 

5. But there is one thing I wish to explain before we 
go farther. The New Testament, you will remember, 
begins with the birth of Christ, now 1836 years ago; 
fori write this book, in what we call the year 1836. 

6. It chiefly consists of a history of Jesus Christ ; of 
what he said and did, and an account of the various ex- 
ertions made by the Apostles to spread the Gospel. 
All the events narrated in it are embraced within a space 
of less than one hundred years. 



36 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



7. The Old Testament commences with the Creation, 
and brings down the history of the Jews to within a few 
hundred years of the time of our Saviour. The Deluge 
occurred in the year 1656, from the creation. Abraham 
was born in the year 2008, from the creation ; Moses in 
the year 2433 ; David in the year 2919 ; and Solomon, 
in the year 2971. 

8. Now you will easily see that as David lived 1095 
years before Christ, the countries spoken of in his time 
must have been very different from what they were in the 
time of Christ; and as Abraham lived 911 years before 
David, the countries in his time must have been different 
from what they were in the time of David. 

9. Thus you will see, as the world has ever been 
changing from time to time, that the countries mentioned 
in the Bible were sometimes in one condition, and some- 
times in another ; and it often appears that a place has 
one name in the Old Testament and another in the 
New, and still another at the present day. 

Questions. 



1. What are the principal countries in Asia 

mentioned in the Bible ? 

2. What are the principal countries in Europe 

mentioned in the Bible ? 
8. What are the principal countries "in Africa 

mentioned in the Bible ? 
In what direction is Egypt from Canaan ? 
In what direction is Italy from Canaan ? 
In what direction are the following places 

from Jerusalem ? Media, Syria, America, 

Persia, Arabia, Shinar 3 Parthia, Asia Minor. 



What is the distance in a straight line from 
Jerusalem to Alexandria ? Ans. 350 miles. 

What is the distance from Jerusalem to 
Malta ? Ans. About 1250 miles. 

From Jerusalem to Rome 1 Ans. 1500 miles. 

5. How long is it since the birth of Christ ? 

6. What does the N. Testament chiefly consist 

of? 
What period of time is embraced in the his- 
torical accounts of the iQew Testament ? 

7. What can you tell of the Old Testament ? 




BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 37 



When did the Deluge occur ? How long be- 
fore Christ did the Deluge occur ? How 
long since the Deluge 1 

When was Abraham born ? How long before 
Christ ? How long since 1 

When was Moses born ? How long before 



Christ ? How long since ? 
When was David born ? How long before 

Christ ? How long since ? 
When was Solomonborn ? How long before 

Christ ? How long since 1 
8. How long did Abraham live before David ? 



LESSON VIII. 

About the names of Palestine — its climate, vegetable 

productions, animals, birds and insects. 

1. Canaan, or Palestine as it is now generally called, 
is perhaps the most interesting spot on the globe, for 
here the principal events mentioned in the Old and New 
Testament occurred. These extend through a space of 
nearly four thousand years, and exhibit the dealings of 
God with his chosen people the Jews. 

2. Canaan was so called from Canaan the son of 
Ham. It is called Palestine from the Philistines, who 
once occupied the southwestern parts of it. It is also 
called the Holy Land, the Land of Promise, the Land 
of Israel, and the Land of Judah. 

3. Canaan is situated in the same latitude as Georgia, 
in the United States. It is bounded north by Lebanon 
and Syria; east by a portion of Arabia; south by the 
river Amon, the brook Besor, the shore of the Dead 
i Sea, and the desert of Sin ; and west by the Mediter- 
ranean Sea. 

4. It is about 170 miles long from north to south; its 
average width is about 80 miles. It contains 13,000 




MAP SHOWING THE BOUNDARIES, RIVERS, LAKES, &C. OF PALESTINE. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 39 

square miles, an extent about equal to that of Massachu- 
setts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. 

5. The surface of Canaan is pleasantly diversified 
with mountains, hills, plains, rivers and valleys ; the soil 
was formerly very rich, and in ancient times, when the 
country was finely cultivated, it was exceedingly pro- 
ductive. It was indeed almost a garden from one end 
to the other, producing grains of various kinds, the 
richest fruits, flowers of the sweetest odor, and trees 
and shrubs of surpassing beauty. 

6. But the wretched government to which the coun- 
try has been for years subjected, with some other causes, 
has rendered the people indolent, and the soil is now 
frequently uncultivated, and in some places is so much 
neglected, as to be almost barren. 

7. The climate is similar to that of Georgia ; some 
days in summer are exceedingly hot, and winter is 
almost entirely unknown. 

8. Among the vegetable productions now found in 
Palestine are the following, which probably grew there 
in ancient times; cedar, pine, cypress, oak, sycamore, 
mulberry, fig, willow, acacia, aspen, myrrh, almond, 
peach, apple, aloe, citron, tamarisk, locust, pomegran- 
ate, date and palm trees; also cotton, wheat, barley, 
millet, beans, melons and vines. 

9. Among the animals are the porcupine, jackal, fox, 



40 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



rock-goat and fallow-deer; the lion, wolf, leopard, bear and 
wild boar, which were once inhabitants, have mostly 
disappeared. A few domestic cattle and sheep are 
found, but however it may be with "honey," "milk" 
is not so abundant in Canaan as it was in the days 
of the Israelites. 

10. Among the domestic animals which are most 
frequently mentioned in Scripture, and are of the 
greatest use in Palestine, are the camel, ox, and ass. 




Camel, Asiatic Ox and Ass. "** 

The oxen of this country, like those of Asia generally, 
are of that kind which have a hunch upon the fore 
shoulder. 







BRANCH OF THE CYPRESS TREE. 




PALM TREE. 




PINE OR FIR TREE. 




CEDAR OF LEBANON. 



WtV WV W H W WW WW»> W > 



42 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



11. The eagle, vulture, cormorant, bittern, stork, owl, 
pigeon, swallow, falcon, jackdaw, partridge, goose, duck, 
snipe, widgeon and some other birds, appear to be still 
found in almost all parts of Palestine. 

12. In the interior of the country, the inhabitants are 
very much annoyed with flies, ants, lizards, serpents, vi- 
pers and scorpions. The locust, so often mentioned in 
Scripture, visits the country in immense multitudes, 
sometimes hiding the sun in their passage, and when they 
alight, covering the earth to the depth of several inches. 

13. These insects destroy everything where they pass, 
so that the fields and trees look as if they had been 
burnt over. The Arabs use them for food and it ap- 
pears that ancient nations used them in the same manner. 

Questions. 



1. Why is Canaan one of the most interesting 

spots on the globe ? 
Through what period do the events mentioned 
in the Old and New Testament extend ? 

2. Why was Canaan so called ? 
Why is it called Palestine ? 
What other names are given to it ? 

3. How is Palestine situated ? 
How is it bounded ? 

4. What is its length, breadth and extent ? 

5. What of the surface of Canaan ? 



What of the soil ? 

6. Why is Palestine not as productive as for- 

merly ? 

7. What of the climate of Palestine ? 

8. What are some of the vegetable productions % 

9. What of the animals ? 

10. What of the domestic animals ? 

11. What of the birds ? 

12. By what are the inhabitants annoyed in the 

interior ? 
What of the locusts ? 



LESSON IX. 
About the rivers, seas and lakes of Palestine. 

1. Among the rivers of Palestine the most celebrated 
is the Jordan. It is indeed the only river of much size 



44 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

in the country. It rises near the foot ofMountHermon, 
and flows through Lakes Merom and Gennesareth into 
the Dead Sea. 

2. This river was three times miraculously divided. 
First by Joshua ; second by Elijah ; and third by Elisha. 
In this river John the Baptist baptized great numbers, 
and among others, our Saviour. 

3. The other celebrated streams or rivulets of Pales- 
tine, are the Arnon, Jabbok, Besor, or river of Egypt, 
Sorek, and Koshon. To these we may add Cedron or 
Kidron, and Belus, near Ptolemais, from the sand of 
which, the first glass is said to have been made. 

4. The Dead Sea occupies the place on which five cit- 
ies formerly stood and which were destroyed by fire from 
heaven ; their names were Sodom, Gomorrah, Admab, 
Zeboim, and Zoar. The two first are often mentioned 
in the Scriptures. 

5. The Dead Sea is also called Lake Asphaltites, the 
Sea of Sodom, and the Salt Sea. It is seventy miles 
long, and from fifteen to twenty miles wide. Its waters 
are very clear, but uncommonly salt and bitter ; so much 
so that few animals, not even fishes, can live in them. 

6. Some travellers have asserted that birds in attempt- 
ing to fly over this sea, fall down dead, from the sup- 
posed poisonous nature of the water ; but this is found 
to be an error, as these waters are not poisonous, but 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



45 



merely bitter. The shores produce scarcely anything 
fit for the support cf either men or animals. 




View of the Sea of Gennesareth, and the present village of Tiberias. 



7. The Sea of Galilee is seventeen miles long, and 
six miles broad. It has several names in the GId and 
New Testament ; in the former it is called the Sea of 
Chinnereth, or Cinneroth, and in the latter, the Sea of 
Tiberias, and the Lake of Gennesareth. 

8. Here occurred a great many interesting events 
mentioned in the New Testament. It was a famous place 
for fishing, and Christ's disciples were several of them 
employed here as fishermen. The lake is surrounded 



46 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



by lofty eminences, from which it has a most beautiful 
and picturesque appearance. 

Questions. 



1. What is the most celebrated river of Pales- 

tine ? 
Where does the Jordan rise ? 
Which way does it run ? 
What is its length ? 
Where does it empty ? 

2. By whom has the Jordan been miraculously 

divided? ' 

What is said of John the Baptist ? 

3. What other celebrated streams are there in 

Palestine ? 
Where does the river Arnon empty ? 
Which way does the Jabbok run ? Where 

does it empty ? 
In which direction does the Besor, or river 

Egypt run ? 
Which way does the Sorek run? Where 

does it empty ? 



Which way does the Koshon run ? Where 
does it empty ? 

4. In what part of Palestine is the Dead Sea ? 
Of what cities does it occupy the place ? 

5. What other names are there for this Sea? 
What is the length of the Dead Sea ? Width ? 
What can you tell of its waters ? 

6. What has been said by travellers ? 
What of the shores of the Dead Sea ? 

7. What of the Sea of Galilee ? 
Its length? Breadth? 
What other names has it ? 

8. What occurred here ? 
For what was it famous ? 

What is said of the disciples of Christ ? 
By what is this sea surrounded ? 



LESSON x. 
Mout the mountains, caves, and deserts of Palestine. 

1. Mount Lebanon, or Libanus, now called Bukkab, 
consists of two ridges in the northern end of Palestine 
with the valley of Lebanon lying between them. The 
highest point is 9500 feet above the level of the sea, and 
its top is always covered with snow. The sides of the 
mountain are rugged, but well cultivated and highly pro- 
ductive. You may here meet with large vineyards and 
rich olive plantations. 

2. Mount Lebanon has always been celebrated for its 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



47 



cedars, some of which, now standing, are probably sev- 
eral hundred years old. The largest are forty feet in 




View of Mount Lebanon as it now appears, with convents built upon it 



circumference, and about a hundred feet high. Much is 
said of the cedars of Lebanon in the Bible. 

3, Mount Carmel, about ninety miles from Jerusalem, 
consists of a range of hills in the northern part of Pal- 
estine. It has been rendered interesting by its caves, 
in which Monks called Carmelites, have resided for 
many centuries, since the death of Christ. The prophets 

.Elijah and Elisha used to resort to this mountain. 

4. Mount Tabor, about seventy miles north of Jeru- 
salem, is a peak in the form of a sugar loaf flattened at 



48 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



the top, upon which is a beautiful plain, enclosed by a 
wall, probably built by Josephus, a Jewish general who 
died soon after Christ, as a defence. This mountain is 
interesting and beautiful ; the view from the top is very 




View of Mount Tabor, as it now appears. 



extensive, and it is commonly supposed to be the place 
where the transfiguration of our Saviour happened, as 
recorded in the seventeenth chapter of Matthew, 

5. The mountains of Ephraim or Israel, about twenty- 
five miles north of Jerusalem, were situated in the cen- 
tre of Palestine. The highest summit of this range is 
said to be the place where our Saviour underwent his 
temptation, mentioned in the fourth chapter of Matthew. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 49 

6. The mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, were situ- 
ated in the province of Samaria ; the former was fruitful 
and the latter barren. After the Israelites had passed 
the river Jordan they stationed themselves on these 
mountains. On Mount Gerizim, about forty miles north 
of Jerusalem, the Samaritans built a temple, where they 
worshipped, instead of going to Jerusalem. Travellers 
say, that at the present day, these people go three times 
a year to the top of the mountain, Jo pray upon the spot 
where the temple used to stand, y^ 

7. Mount Gilboa, is situated south of the Sea of Gal- 
ilee, forty miles north of Jerusalem, and is celebrated as 
being the place where Saul and his three sons were 
slain by the Philistines, which gave occasion to David's 
beautiful lamentation for Jonathan, ija the thirteenth and 
fourteenth chapter of 1 st Samuel. 

8. The mountains of Gilead, east of the Jordan were 
famous for producing a tree which yielded a gum called 
balm, which was much used in medicine in the 
East. These trees have now disappeared. Bashan, to 
the north of Gilead, is famous for its stately oaks. Forty 
miles northeast of Jerusalem, were the mountains of 
Abarim ; the summits of Nebo and Pisgah, afforded 
Moses a view of the promised land. 

9. These are the principal mountains of Palestine, 
but I will mention one which lies about ten miles south 

4 c 



50 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

of Jerusalem, being in the northern part of Arabia. This 
is Mount Hor, or Seed, where Aaron died and was 
buried ; and here the traveller is at this day shown a place 
which is supposed to have been his tomb, though this 
is very doubtful. 

10. Among^oie mountains of Palestine, there are 
several caves, some of which are very large. In ancient 
times these afforded shelter to some of the inhabitants, 
particularly in time of war, when they wished to hide, 
from their enemies. Thus David retreated to a cave 
near Adullam, a city in the valley of Judah, to escape 
from the king of Gath. See 1 Samuel xxii. 1, and 2 
Samuel xxiii. 13. 

11. Not far from Jericho, there is a wilderness called 
Engedi. In this, there is a cave in which David with 
600 men, concealed themselves from Saul. See 1 Sam- 
uel xxiv. Near the city of Hebron, there is a plain, 
which in ancient times was called Macpelah ; in this was 
a cave which Abraham bought of Ephraim for a burial 
place for himself and family. See Gen. xxiii. 9. 

12. To the west of the Dead Sea, there was a place 
called the Wilderness, or Desert, of Judea. It was a 
barren uninhabited spot where John the Baptist 
preached. See Matthew iii. 1. 

13. Besides the Desert of Judea, there are several 
other places to which the term desert or wilderness is ap- 




VIEW OF MOUNT HOR. 




VIEW OF THE HILL OF BASHAN. 



52 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



plied. Some of these were dry and barren, but others 
were beautiful and h^d good pastures. These words, in 
Scripture appear to have been appied to uninhabited 
places, whether fertile or otherwise. / 

Questions. 



1, What can you tell of Mount Lebanon ? 

What direction is it from Jerusalem ? 

What is its highest point 7 
% For what is the mountain celebrated ? 

3. What of Mount Carmel 7 
Distance from Jerusalem 7 

What prophets used to resort to this moun- 
tain 7 

4. What of Mount Tabor 7 Distance and di- 

rection from Jerusalem 7 
01 what is it supposed to be the scene 7 

5. Wi'Stvof the mountains of Ephraim 7 Dis- 

tance and direction from Jerusalem 7 
What is said to hare taken place on one of 
the summits 7 

6. What of Gerizim and Ebal 7 Distance and 

direction of Mount Gerizim from Jerusa- 
lem ? 
What of the temple of the Samaritans 7 

7. Where is Mount Gilboa? Distance and 

direction from Jerusalem ? 



How is Moant Gilboa celebrated 7 

8. For what are the mountains of Gilead fa. 

mous ? 
For what is Mount Bashan celebrated 7 
Distances and direction of the mountains of 

Abarim from Jerusalem 7 
What of Nebo and Pisgah 7 

9. Distance and direction of Mount Hor from 

Jerusalem '/ 
Where was Aaron buried 7 

10. What of caves in Palestine 7 

To what cave did David retreat from the 
king of Gath 7 

11. Where is the desert of Engedi 7 

In what cave did David conceal himself from 
Saul 7 

Where was Macpelah ? For what did Abra- 
ham buy the cave 7 

12. What of the wilderness of Judea ? 

13. What of other deserts % 



LESSON XT. 

Parley tells about Palestine, as it was in the time oj 
Christ. About Judea. 

1. You will recollect, that four thousand and foui 
years after the Creation, Jesus Christ was born. At 
the age of about thirty years, he began publicly to preach 
and unfold to the Jews, the great errand upon which he 
had come. 



54 BIBLE geography. 

*2. At this time, which you know was about eighteen 
hundred years ago, Palestine was under the government 
of Koine. Rome was then a splendid city, and it was 
the capital o( the Roman Empire. This Empire had 
risen to great power, and had conquered all the coun- 
tries around the Mediterranean Sea. 

3. Palestine had been under the Roman yoke about 
a hundred years, when Christ began to preach. It was 
governed by persons sent from Rome, who brought with 
them a great many soldiers, to aid in ruling the people. 

4. Palestine had been divided by the Romans, into 
four provinces, viz: Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Perea, 
or the country beyond Jordan. 1 shall now proceed to 
give you an account of these several divisions. We will 
begin with Judea. 

5. Judea is a word sometimes used, for the whole of 
Palestine ; but this is improper, as Judea only included 
that portion of Canaan, which had belonged to the tribes of 
Judah, Benjamin, Simeon and Dan. It was the southern 
portion o( Palestine, and lay between the Dead Sea and 
the Mediterranean. 

(3. At the time o( which I speak, the whole of Pal- 
estine was very populous, and probably contained many 
millions o( inhabitants. Though the people had lost 
their independence, and for several hundred years had 
been in a state o( bondage to one country or another, 
still there was Great wealth in the land. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



55 



7. Judea, like the rest of Palestine, had a great many 
cities, towns, and villages. The chief of these was Je- 
rusalem ; the other places most interesting to us, were 
Bethpage, Bethany, Jiethlohem, Emmaus, Lydda, and 
Jericho. Of these I shall give you an account in the 
following chapters. 

Questions. 



1. How long afterthe Creation 

At what age did he begin to pri 

2. What wae (be fftuatfcm o J P ghteen 

hundred y;ar;< ago 1 
What of Rome ? 
What of the Bomai] Empire J 

3. How long had Paieetine been eubject to 

Rojme when Chrl 
How irai rorerned ? 

4. How had Paieetine been divided? 
How wae Judea bounded ''• 

/Jo// wae Samaria bounded I 
How waa Galileo bounded J 



Which ride of the Jordan did Peres lie ? 
, How ie the word Judea fometha 
ed I 
What did Jndea taelude ? 
What part of Paieetine wae Jndea 1 
:':d what two eeai did it He 1 
. What of Paieetine at (he time we ftpeak of? 
What had been t 

. 'A J'jd^.-a at thin t.jrr.<; 7 

What wae the ehief town of J 

What were the other r/io^.t interesting places 
in ludea ?- 



LESSON XII. 
About Jerusalem. Its wonderful history from the earliest 
ages to the present time. 

1. I have already told you, that Jerusalem at the pre- 
sent day, is a gloomy place, surrounded with a stone 
wall, and containing but about fifteen thousand inhabit- 
ants. In the time of Christ, it was a splendid city, and 
in earlier days it had been still more magnificent. 

2. We do not know exactly, when it was founded ; 
but it appears that in the time of Abraham, that is about 



56 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

three thousand seven hundred and fifty years ago, this 
city was in existence. It was called Salem, and was the 
capital of a kingdom governed by a ruler named Mel- 
chizedek. 

3. After this, it became the metropolis of the Jebu- 
sites, and was named Jebus. The Jews when they 
came up from Egypt, attempted to take it ; but it was 
too strong for them ; they however partly succeeded, 
and by the help of king David, finally took it. From 
this time it became the Jewish capital, the seat of 
their kings, and the centre of their worship. 

4. Under David and Solomon, Jerusalem rose to an 
almost inconceivable pitch of splendor and magnificence. 
The most remarkable edifice in the city was the Tem- 
ple ; the plan of this, was furnished by David to his son 
Solomon; David himself not being permitted by God to 
erect it. 

5. He however made great preparations for it. He 
and his princes contributed vast sums for the purpose, 
amounting, it is said, to more than four thousand millions 
of dollars. 

6. Solomon who was the man selected by Divine ap- 
pointment, employed one hundred and eightyfour thou- 
sand men, — a number equal to all the grown men who 
are able to labor in the State of Massachusetts — about 
seven years in completing this mighty work. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



57 



7. When finished, the temple occupied, within its 
walls, about thirty one acres of ground ; and was one of 
the most costly edifices that the world ever saw. To it 




Solomon's Temple as it is supposed to have appeared from a distance. 



every Jewish man was required to go twice a year to per- 
form worship. 

8. But the glory of this temple lasted only thirtyfour 
years ; for during the reign of Rehoboam, the son and 
successor of Solomon, Shishak, king of Egypt, razed 
and pillaged it, and carried away its treasures. 

9. The city of Jerusalem was itself several times 
taken during these early periods, and sometimes it was 
burnt ; but it was as often rebuilt. 

10. In the year five hundred and ninety, before Christ, 



58 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

it was taken by Nebuchadnezzar king of Egypt, and the 
whole city was laid in ashes. About five hundred and 
thirty years before Christ, it was begun to be rebuilt by 
Nehemiah ; but the walls were not completed till four 
hundred and fiftysix years before Christ. The temple 
was also rebuilt, by Zerubbabel ; but it was by no means 
so splendid as that built by Solomon. 

11. The city itself was again destroyed, many years 
afterward, by Ptolemy king of Egypt. It met with a 
similar fate still later from Antiochus Epiphanes, who 
slew forty thousand of the people, and made slaves of 
as many more. It was rebuilt by Judas Maccabeus, 
and in the time of our Saviour was flourishing. 

12. But its destruction was foretold by Christ, and 
thirty years from the prediction, after a dreadful siege, 
and the most frightful suffering, on the part of the in- 
habitants, it was taken by Titus, a Roman general, and 
reduced to a heap of ruins. The temple was destroyed 
for the seventeenth time and has never been rebuilt. 

13. After many changes, this city was taken by the 
Saracens in 637, who held it for several hundred years. 
In 1076 it was taken by the Turks, who have remained 
in possession of it to this day ; except that some people 
from Europe, called Crusaders, took it about the year 
1100, and kept it for a short time. 

1 4. Such is the story of this wonderful city. It has 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



59 



been in existence for nearly four thousand years, and 
within its walls, some of the most remarkable and in- 
teresting events have occurred, that are recorded in the 
history of mankind. 

Questions. 



1. What of Jerusalem as it is now '/ 

2. How lone - ago was Jerusalem in existence ? 
What of "Melchizedeck ? 

What was the ancient name of Jerusalem ? 

3. What can you say of Jerusalem after this ? 
What of the Jews ? 

From what time did Jerusalem become the 
Jewish capital ? 

4. What of Jerusalem under David and Solo- 

mon 1 
What of the Temple ? 

5. What amount did David and his princes con- 

tribute towards the temple ? 

6. How many men did Solomon employ in the 

building of the temple ? 
How long were these men employed ? 

7. How much ground was covered by the tem- 

ple ? 
What was required of the male Jews ? 

8. How long after it was built was the temple 



robbed of its treasures ? 
During whose reign ? 
By whom ? 

9. What more of Jerusalem during the earlj 

times ? 

10. What happened 590 years before Christ % 
What took place 530 years before Christ % 
What 456 years before Christ ? 

What of Zerubbabel ? 

11. What of Ptolemy? 
Antiochus Epiphanes ? 
Who rebuilt Jerusalem ? 

12. Who foretold the destruction of Jerusalem * 
How long after was the prophecy fulfilled % , 
What of Titus ? 

What of the temple ? 

13. The Saracens ? 
The Turks 3 
The Crusaders ? 



4 LESSON XIII. 

A particular description of Jerusalem. How it was 

built on four hills. About other interesting places 

in Judea. 

1, Having given you some history of Jerusalem, I 
will describe it, as it was in the time of Christ. It was 
built on four hills and encompassed by a high wall ; one 
of the hills was called Mount Zion; this was the highest 
and the most southerly of the four. King David used 
to live upon it in a palace which he built, 




JERUSALEM, AS IT V'AS IN THE TIME OF CHRIST. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



61 



2. Mount Moriah, on which the Temple was erected/ 
was to the east. To the north were the tw T o other hills. 
Near the temple was the pool of Bethesda. On the 
west side of the city, and just without the walls, was 
Mount Calvary, where our Lord was crucified. 

3. To the east of the city was the valley of Jehosa- 
phat ; in this, was the pool of Siloam, and also the 
Garden of Gethsemane. To the east of the valley of 




View of the Valley of Jehosaphat, and walls of Jerusalem. 

Jehosaphat, was the Mount of Olives ; it w r as so high, as 
to afford a fine view of the city. 

4. The modern city of Jerusalem is chiefly built upon 



62 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



Mount Moriah, and is of course much less extensive, 
than in the time of Christ, of which I am speaking. 

5. At the foot of Mount Olivet, about two miles to 
the east of Jerusalem, was Bethpage, of which no trace 
now remains. Bethany, which appears to have been 
near Bethpage, was the residence of Martha and Mary ; 
here Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, and from this 
place He ascended to heaven. It is now a miserable 
village occupied by a few Turks. 

6. Bethlehem, about six miles south of Jerusalem, 




Bethlehem as it now appears. 



was never a large place ; but it is worthy of particular 
notice. It is now a mere village, but it is much vener- 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



63 



ated and visited by a great many pilgrims. Here they 
are shown a grotto which is erected over the very place 




■ 



Grotto or the Nativity, at Bethlehem. 

where Christ was born. In Bethlehem Jacob buried his 
wife Rachel. See Genesis xxxv. 19. Here resided Na- 
omi, her daughter Ruth, and Boaz. Here David was born 
and spent the early part of his life ; hence it is some- 
times called the city of David. 

7. But the event, most interesting, in the history of 
Bethlehem is, that Jesus Christ was born here ; you 



64 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

will find the story beautifully told, in the second chapter 
of Luke. This event, had been foretold by the Jewish 
Prophets for many centuries ; and when it arrived, it 
was announced by an angel from heaven. 

8. This holy being was visible to the shepherds, who 
watched their flocks by night, on the hills of Bethlehem. 
Other angels also assembled in immense multitudes, 
over the place where Christ was born that night ; they 
were filled with great joy, and sang a glorious song. 

9. This was a song of peace and good will to man j 
it announced to mankind, that the Saviour foretold by 
the prophets, had come ; it showed that even in heaven, 
this event was regarded as of the deepest interest ; it 
proves to us, that Christ was a great and exalted Being, 
and that his Gospel was of the utmost importance to 
the salvation of mankind. 

10. If we are ever tempted to think, that Christ was a 
mere creature like ourselves, let us remember the song ol 
the angels at Bethlehem. If we are ever disposed to 
think lightly of his Gospel, let us remember that the 
Hosts of Heaven, those spirits who had learnt the pur- 
poses of God from close communion with Him, esteemed 
it of everlasting consequence to mankind. 

11. Let us consider then, that our highest thoughts of 
Christ, cannot rise higher than the song of the angels ; 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



65 



and that our faith in him cannot go beyond that which 
\ the angels themselves seem to have entertained. 

12. There were two or three places in Judea, by the 

name of Emmaus, but that to which Christ was going 

after his resurrection, when he met two of his disciples, 
' as related by Luke, was about seven miles northwest of 

Jerusalem. 



i 




View of the Plain and Village of Jericho, with Arab tents. 

13. Jericho, which is frequently mentioned both in 
jthe Old and New Testament, is about twenty miles 
(northeasterly of Jerusalem, and six west of the Jordan. 
Its history is very remarkable. It was the first city 
5 



66 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY* 

taken by the Israelites in Canaan, after their departure 
from Egypt. 

1 4. The miraculous manner in which it was captured, 
is related in the sixth chapter of Joshua. For five hun- 
dred years after this, the city was deserted, on account 
of the curse of God ; and the man who rebuilt it suf- 
fered all the evils that had been foretold of him who 
should venture to rebuild it. 

15. The city was permitted however to stand, and it 
became a very splendid place, almost equal to Jerusalem. 
In the time of Christ it was a great city, and was the 
residence of Zaccheus ; it is now a miserable village of 
fifty houses, occupied by Turks, who are much annoyed 
by Arabs, who often encamp in the plain. 

16. Arimathea, was once a splendid city, as its ruins 
now show ; it contains several hundred inhabitants at 
present who are chiefly Turks. It is about thirty miles 
west of Jerusalem, and was the residence of that Joseph 
who begged the body of Christ, after his crucifixion. 
See Luke xxiii. 51. 

17. Lydda, where Peter cured Eneas, see Acts ix. 
appears by its splendid ruins, to have been once a fine 
city ; but it is now only a poor village, and bears the 
name of Loudd. 



£IBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



67 



Questions. 



I How was Jerusalem built % 
What of King David ? 

2. What of Mount Moriah 1 

Pool of Bethesda 3 Mount Calvary ? 

3. Where was the valley of Jehosaphat J Gar- 

den of Gethsemane % Mount of Olives ? 

4. What of the modern city of Jerusalem? 

5. What of Bethpage ? Bethany ? 

6. What of Bethlehem ? 

What is the most interesting event in the 

history of Bethlehem ? 
What event had been foretold for ages by the 

Prophets ? 
8 What occurred over Bethlehem on the night 

of Christ's birth ? 

9. What is proved by the song of th.e Angels ? 

10. What effect ought the song of the angels to 

have on us ? 



11. What we to consider ? 

12. What of Emmaus ? 

13. Where is Jericho ? 
What is its history ? 

14. How was it destroyed ? 

What of Jericho for five hundred years after 
its destruction ? 

15. What of Jericho in the time of Christ? 
What of Jericho now ? 

16. What of Aramathea ? 
Who resided here r 
Where is Aramathea ? 

What kind of a place is it now % 

17. WhatofLydda? 

What miracle was performed here ? 
What is the present state of Lydda ? 



LESSON XIV. 

About the province of Samaria ; the Samaritans. The 
city of Samaria and other interesting places. 

1. I will now give you an account of the province 
',of Samaria. It lay between Galilee and Judea. It em- 
braced the country which belonged to the tribe of 
Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh. When erected 
into a province by the Romans, it was called Samaria 
from its principal city. 

2. The Samaritans were a mixed race of people 
jsprung from the Jews who remained in the country, and 
'Assyrians who settled among them, after the captivity 
of the Ten Tribes, several hundred years before Christ. 
They appear to have hated the Jews and to have been 



68 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

hated in return. There was therefore no friendly inter- 
course between the two nations. 

3. The Samaritans, believed the five books of Moses, 
but rejected the rest of the Old Testament ; they built 
a temple on Mount Gerizim, and here they worshipped, 
instead of going to the temple at Jerusalem. Our Sa- 
viour appears to have spent but little time in Samaria, 
though he often passed through the country in journey- 
ing back and forth from Judea to Galilee. 

4. Samaria, the capital of the province, about forty 
miles north of Jerusalem, was in early times the capital 
of the Ten Tribes. It was built, about nine hundred 
years before Christ, by Omri king of Israel ; who paid 
about three thousand dollars for the hill on which it 
stood. 

5. It became a great city, and Ahab built a palace of 
ivory in it. In the time of Jehoram, Ahab's son, it was 
beseiged by an army, and such was the distress of the 
people for want of food that mothers devoured their own 
children. It was destroyed by Shalmanezer, king of As- 
syria, who carried the Ten Tribes into captivity about 
720 years before Christ. 

6. In our Saviour's time Samaria had been revived and 
was a considerable place, though it is seldom mentioned 
in the New Testament. When the word Samaria is used, 
it generally means the province and not the city. It is 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY, 69 

now only a Turkish village. Around the town there are 
many splendid ruins which speak of the ancient gran- 
deur of the place. 

7. Sychar, about ten miles to the south of Samaria, 
was formerly called Shechem, and was the capital of the 
country both before the building of Samaria, and after 
its destruction by Shalmanezer. Near it was Jacob's 
well and burying place ; it was at this well that our Sa- 
viour had the conversation with the woman of Samaria. 
See John iv. This place is now called Napolose, and is 
a flourishing town, with several thousand inhabitants. 

8. Cesarea, sixtytwo miles northwest of Jerusalem, 
had a fine harbor, and was the seat of the Roman gov- 
ernors. Here Herod Agrippa was smitten with a strange 
disease, as related in Acts xii. ; here St Peter converted 
Cornelius, the centurion ; and here St Paul made his 
admirable defence in the presence of Felix, Festus and 
Agrippa, before he sailed to Rome. See Acts xxvi. 

9. Joppa is one of the oldest seaports in the world ; 
it was the place to which the vessels came that carried 
on the commerce with Jerusalem, which in ancient 
times was immense. All the materials for Solomon's 
temple, which were brought by sea from Mount Leba- 

I non, were landed at Joppa. Here Peter resided some 
time, and here he restored Dorcas to life ; here also Jo- 
nah embarked, when he was swallowed up by a whale. 



. 



70 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



10. In more modern times, this place, which has re- 
ceived the name of Jaffa, has often figured in history; 
here the Crusaders landed when they went to take Je- 
rusalem from the Turks ; and here Bonaparte caused a 
great many Turks to be massacred in 1799. The place 
is now small, with narrow streets, and about five thou- 
sand inhabitants. 

11. Antipatris, northwest of Jerusalem, was the place 
where Paul was brought by the soldiers as they were 
taking him to Cesarea. See Acts xxiii. 31. Enon was 
a place upon the Jordan, northeast of Jerusalem, where 
John baptised " because there was much water there." 
See John iii. 23. 

12. Thus I have given you an account of the prov- 
ince of Samaria, and I have told you something about 
the most interesting places in it, mentioned in the Bible 
In the next chapter I shall tell you about Galilee. 

Questions. 



1. How was Samaria bounded ? 
What did it include 1 

Why was the province called Samaria ? 

2. Who were the Samaritans ? 

Did the Samaritans and Jews hate each 

other ? 
Had they any friendly intercourse ? 

3. What part of the Bible did the Samaritans 

believe ? 

What of their Temple ? 

Did our Saviour spend much time in Sama- 
ria % 

Did he often pass through the country ? 
i. Where was the city of Samaria? 

What of it in early times ? 



Who built it ? When did he build it % 

How much did Omri pay for the land ? 
. Did Samaria become a great city ? 

What of Ahab 1 

What of the siege of Samaria ? 

When was Samaria destroyed by Shalmane- 
zer? 

When were the Ten Tribes carried into cap- 
tivity ? 
. What of Samaria in our Saviour's time ? 

What is generally meant by Samaria in the 
New Testament? 

What of Samaria now ? 
. Where is Sychar ? 

What is its history ? 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



71 



What of Jacob's well ? 
What of Sychar now ? 

8. What of Cesarea ? 
What of Herod Agrippa 1 
Of St Peter? Of St Paul? 

9. What of Joppa? 



The materials for Solomon's Temple ? 
What of Peter 7 Jonah ? 

10. What of the Crusaders ? 
Of Bonaparte 1 
Present state of Jaffa ? 

11. What of Antipatris ? Enon ? 



LESSON XV. 
Jlbout Galilee. 

1. Galilee was the most northern division of Pales- 
tine ; and in our Saviour's time appears to have been the 
most populous. It was about half as large as the State 
of Massachusetts ; yet it is said to have contained two 
hundred and four cities and towns, the least of which 
had fifteen thousand inhabitants. The whole population 
was estimated at thirteen millions, a number about equal 
to the entire population of the United States. 

2. It may seem strange that so many people could 
have lived in so small a country ; but Galilee was one of 
the most fertile spots, on the face of the globe. Travel- 
lers assure us that at the present day, stocks of the 
grape vine may be seen a foot and a half in diameter. 

3. Besides this, many of the people were fishermen, 
either in the Mediterranean, or in the Sea of Galilee ; 
this latter yielded immense numbers of fish, and it was 
here, that the miraculous draught was taken, spoken <s* 
in Luke v. 6. 

4. Galilee was divided into Upper and Lower. Up- 



72 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

per Galilee, was the northern portion, and was some- 
what mountainous ; Lower Galilee was that part which 
is usually spoken of under the simple title of Galilee, in 
the New Testament. 

5. It was in this part of Palestine that most of the 
disciples were born ; and here our Saviour spent the 
greatest part of his time. He lived with Joseph and 
Mary till he was about thirty years of age, at the town 
of Nazareth ; He then began his public ministry, and for 
three years, that is till His crucifixion, He was anxiously 
engaged in executing the great errand, upon which He 
had come. It appears, that He never went out of Pal- 
estine, except when taken to Egypt in His childhood. 

6. During the period of His labors, He frequently went 
to Jerusalem, but spent the greater part of His time in 
the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee. Here the whole 
country was covered with towns and villages, and these 
were full of people. 

7. It was in the midst of this crowded population, 
that our Saviour went about doing good. Day and 
night He labored with incessant toil; to some He 
preached, to some He revealed the beautiful doctrines 
of Christianity. The sick He healed ; to the lame He 
gave strength; the blind He endowed with sight. His 
heart was full of kindness to all ; and even of little child- 
ren He said, " suffer them to come unto me and forbid 
them not." 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 73 

8. How dark a stain is it upon human nature, that a 
Being so noble, so pure, so kind should have been 
hated, betrayed, seized, reviled, beaten, spit upon, and 
put to death in the most cruel manner. How superior 
to all around Him does He appear, when in the midst of 
his sufferings He is said to have prayed for His tor- 
mentors in these words; "Father, forgive them, for 
they know not what they do !" 

9. It is exceedingly interesting, to think of Christ, in 
Galilee ; and how gratifying is it to know that the places 
spoken of in connexion with Him, such as the Lake of 
Gennesareth or Sea of Galilee, upon whose surface he 
once miraculously walked ; whose tempestuous waves 
He once quelled ; and around whose shores He often 
preached — are still in existence ! 

10. How pleasant it is to know that Nazareth re- 
mains ; that Tiberias still stands on the borders of the 
Lake. How pleasant it is to know these things, for 
they make us feel more deeply, that the story of the 
New Testament is true; that Christ really did exist, 
that He ascended to heaven, and that He still lives to 
make intercession for us. 

11. What greater blessing can we enjoy, than to feel 
deeply in our hearts, whether we lie down to rest at 
night, or wake in the morning, or go forth at mid-day ; 
that Christ has lived and that our Redeemer still liveth. 

D 



74 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



12. It may indeed be painful to us, to remember, that 
Christ came to His death by the hands of men, our fel- 
low men, men like ourselves. It is painful to know that 
such sin as to lead to such crime, is in the heart of man ; 
yet it is a great relief, nay it is delightful, to know that a 
Pure Example has been set before us, and that all who 
attempt to imitate it will receive Divine aid. 

13. It would be easy to say much more on this inter- 
esting subject ; but I must now mention some of the 
principal places in Galilee. 




View of Nazareth as it now appears.. 



14. Nazareth, is about seventy five mil<^s north of Je- 
rusalem. It is situated on a hill commanding a fine 
view of the vale of Nazareth; it was down a precipice 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 75 

near this place that the enraged Jews once attempted 
to cast our Saviour. Luke iv. 29. Nazareth continues 
to be a place of some note, and is visited by all travel- 
| lers who go to Palestine. 

15. Tiberias, situated on the Sea of Galilee, was once 
the capital of Galilee, and w 7 as noted for a Jewish acad- 
emy after the destruction of Jerusalem. Capernaum, 
Chorasin and Bethsaida, were all situated near the Sea 
of Galilee, and are memorable for our Lord's discourses 
and miracles, which brought a heavy curse upon the in- 

i habitants on acount of their unbelief. 

16. Bethsaida was the residence of the disciples 
Philip, Peter, Andrew, James and John. Capernaum 

i was the residence of Matthew ; and on an eminence 
1 near this town, our Saviour delivered His beautiful dis- 
| course, called the " Sermon on the Mount." Matthew, 
j v. vi. and vii. chapters. Cana is celebrated for His mir- 
acle of turning water into wine, John chapter ii. ; Nain, 
for His raising a widow's son to life. Luke chapter vii. 

1 7. Ptolemais or Accho, now Acre, a place visited by 
St Paul, is noted in the history of the Crusades. Bona- 
parte made twelve different attempts to take it, but 
without success ; it is at present a small and insignifi- 
cant town, chiefly inhabited by Turks. 



76 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



Questions. 



1. How was Galilee bounded ? 
What of it in Christ's time ? 
What was the extent of Galilee ? 
Number of its cities ? Its population ? 

2. How could Galilee support so many people ? 

3. What of the Sea of Galilee ? 

4. Divisions of Galilee ? 
What of Upper Galilee ? 
Lower Galilee % 

5. What of the disciples 1 
Our Saviour ? 

Did our Saviour ever go out of Palestine ? 

6. Did our Saviour often go to Jerusalem ? 
Where did he spend the greatest part of his 

time ? 
What of the country around the Sea of Gali- 
lee ? 

7. What did our Saviour do ? 

9. What is it gratifying to know % 

10. What effect has the knowledge that the 



places mentioned in the New Testament 
exist now ? 

1 1 . What great blessing may we enjoy ? 

12. What is painful to us ? 

What relief is there to the pain of knowing 
that Christ was killed by our fellow men ? 

14. Where is Nazareth ? Its situation ? 
What happened here ? 

What of Nazareth now ? 

15. What of Tiberias ? 

What three cities were situated near the Sea 
of Galilee ? 

Did our Lord frequently preach to the peo- 
ple in these towns ? 

Why did he pronounce a curse upon them ? 

16. What of Bethsaida ? Capernaum ? 
Where did Christ deliver his Sermon on the 

Mount ? 
What of Cana ? Nain ? 

17. Ptolemais? 



LESSON XVI. 
About Perea. General remarks concerning the Jewish 
people ; their personal appearance ; their dispersion and 
preservation ; prophecies respecting them. 

1. Perea is a name that does not occur in the Bible; 
it is the title of the Roman province, embracing that part 
of Palestine which lay east of the Jordan. It is the 
region spoken of in the Bible as the "country beyond 
Jordan." 

2. The towns which lay within the province of Perea, 
and near the Sea of Galilee, were often visited by our 
Saviour. Decapolis, to which He sometimes went, was a 
large place south of the Sea of Galilee, and consisted 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 77 

of ten cities united into one ; it was divided into two 
parts by the river Jordan. 

3. Not far from the Sea of Tiberias was Gadara, or 
Magdala of Gadara ; from which it is supposed Mary 
Magdalene derived her name. 

4. I have now given you a general account of Pales- 
tine, as it was in the time of our Saviour ; I have told 
you of the mountains, rivers and lakes ; of the climate, 
animals, birds and insects ; I have told you also of the 
towns and something about the people. I will now tell 
you a little more of the inhabitants and give you some 
account of their manners and customs ; that is, how they 
lived, how they dressed, &x. 

5. At the present day the inhabitants of Palestine 
are for the most part Turks. The Jews or Hebrews, as 
they were anciently called, have almost entirely disap- 
peared from this land of their fathers. It is supposed 
that there are about three millions of them in existence ; 
but they are scattered throughout all parts of the world — 
some in England, some in France, and some in almost 
every other country. 

6. You may frequently meet with Jews in most large 
cities. They have a swarthy complexion, sparkling 
black eyes, black hair, often curled, and generally a prom- 
inent nose and chin ; they are usually short and strongly 
made. They are a very handsome people, yet almost 
always wearing a solemn countenance. 



78 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

7. Such is the appearance of the Jews now, and such 
doubtless they were in the time of Christ, of Solomon, 
of David, and Moses. Though they have been settled 
in foreign countries for many ages, they rarely mix with 
the people among whom they reside. They carry on 
their business with anybody and everybody, but their 
families associate little but with other Jewish families. 
They seldom marry but with those of their own nation, 
and sternly adhere to the religion of their fathers. Ma- 
ny of them adopt the dress of the people among whom 
they reside. 

8. Thus they continue to exist as a separate people 
from age to age, and while other nations have melted 
from the earth or mingled with other tribes, the Jews 
seem to stand as a perpetual monument to attest the 
truth of the Old Testament which unfolds their ancient 
story. 

9. This matter will strike us with more force, when 
we consider that the history of no nation on the face of 
the globe, furnishes a parallel to that of the Jews. They 
have been dispersed and driven out of their country for 
nearly two thousand years, yet they still exist a dis- 
tinct, peculiar and remarkable people; still they preserve 
their own rites and ceremonies and many of their laws, 
customs and institutions. 

10. Can we fail to see in this the hand of God 1 His 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



79 



prophets foretold the dispersion of the Jews, and they 
have been dispersed ; his prophets foretold their preser- 
vation and they have been preserved age after age, 
though scattered throughout every clime, and under cir- 
cumstances which would have blotted out the name of 
any other nation. • 

11. The prophets have foretold, that the Jewish 
people shall be again gathered together at Jerusalem 
and we may not doubt it ; indeed who will be so fool- 
ish as to doubt anything in that Holy Book, which has 
revealed for ages before the event happened, what 
was to come to pass as in the case of the Jews. See 
Hosea iii. 4, 5, 

Questions. 



1. How was Perea bounded ? 
What of the name Perea ? 

What was the country of Perea called in the 
Bible ? 

2. What region did our Saviour often visit ? 
What of Decapolis ? 

3. What of Gadara ? 

5. What of the present inhabitants of Palestine ? 
What were the Jews anciently called ? 

Do many Jews live in Palestine ? 

How many Jews are there supposed to be 

now in existence ? 
Where are these Jews ? 

6. Where may you meet with Jews ? 
Describe the personal appearance of the 

Jews? 

7. What was probably the personal appearance 

of the Jews in ancient times ? 
Do the Jews mix with other people ? 
What of their business ? 
Of their families? 



Of their marriages ? 

To what do they adhere ? 

Thek dress ? 

8. How do the Jews continue to exist ? 

What does this separate existence of the Jews 
prove ? 

9. Does the history of any nation compare with 

that of the Jews ? 
What has been the state of the Jews for near 

two thousand years ? 
What is still their condition ? 

10. What can we discover in this story of the 

Jews ? 

What of the prophets ? 

What have the prophets foretold ? 

Would it not be foolish to doubt anything m 
the Bible, when we perceive from our own 
knowledge that events predicted thousands 
of years ago, are fulfilled in our own day ? 

Recite the passage in relation to the Jews in 
Hosea. 



80 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

LESSON XVII. 

Manners and customs of Eastern nations, particularly of 
the Jews. About their houses, reverences, inns, bread, 
ovens, napkins and presents. 

1. I will now tell you about some of the manners 
and customs of the Jews. In ancient times it was their 
custom, and it is still the practice in many Asiatic coun- 
tries, to build the houses in what is called a hollow 
square ; that is with four sides, having an open court or 
yard within these walls. 

2. The windows were not on the outside looking into 
the streets ; but on the inside looking into the court. 
When any one wished therefore to see anything that was 
going on in the streets, or proclaim anything so that the 
people might hear, he would go to the top of the house. 
This will enable you to understand the words of our 
Lord, at Matthew x. 27. 

3. It would seem very strange in this country to live 
upon the top of a house; but in many eastern countries 
this has been the practice for ages. The climate there 
is so mild and the temperature so even, that the people 
can live in the open air with comfort except in the hot 
part of the day. ^ Accordingly the tops of the houses 
have flat roofs with battlements around them for safety ; 
here the people often take their meals, particularly at 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 81 

evening ; and here they often sleep with no other cover- 
ing than the sky above. It appears also that the house 
top was a place for conversation. See 1 Samuel xxv. 6. 

4. The custom of building houses with flat roofs, 
is known to be of great antiquity, and was enjoined upon 

I the Jews by God's own command, more than three 
thousand years ago. See Deuteronomy xxii. 8. 

5. The Jew r s were accustomed to lay flax and linen 
to dry on the tops of the houses. See Joshua ii. 6. 

: Sometimes the Israelites in ancient times offered in- 
cense to their idols on the tops of the houses. See 
Jeremiah xxxii. 29. It seems also that prayer was 
offered upon the tops of the houses. See Acts x. 9. 

6. Chairs are not used by people in the East. They 
.usually sit on couches or carpets, or on skins. These 

also commonly serve them to sleep upon, whilst 
they cover themselves with their garments. For this 
reason a man was commanded to return the garment he 
had borrowed, before night. See Exodus xxii. 26. 
Deut. xiv. 12. 

7. Many of the houses in the East were built of bricks, 
but these bricks were different from ours. They con- 
sisted of clay first moistened and then dried in the sun ; 
Jbut in order to give them toughness, straw was mixed 
with the clay, as our masons mix hair w T ith their mortar. 
This custom will enable you to understand the passage 

in Exodus v. 7. 

6 



82 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

8. It appears to be the custom in many Eastern coun- 
tries, for persons to kneel and bow down to others in 
token of humility. Such acts of reverence were re- 
quired by Kings and Princes, and indeed it was common 
for all persons in high stations, to exact these marks of 
respect from their inferiors. This will enable you to 
understand the passages in Genesis xlii. 6, and Mark 
vii. 25. 

9. The inns in Eastern countries are generally mere 
resting places near some well or fountain, where travel- 
lers may stop to let their horses or camels drink and get 
repose. Sometimes the inns have walls and galleries 
where people may sleep ; but there is no furniture and 
often there are no persons to attend upon the traveller. 
These inns are now called Caravanseras. 

10. The bread of the Jews was made of wheat or 
barley, ground in a handmill, and made into dough without 
separating the flour from the bran. It was then formed 
into thin cakes and immediately baked, without the use 
of yeast. The whole process of grinding, kneading and 
baking occupied but a few minutes. It is still the prac- 
tice in Eastern countries to eat unleavened bread. 

11. The ovens in the East, sometimes consist of 
earthen pots set in the earth ; these are heated and cakes 
are baked by being laid around the inside. Frogs might 
easily get into such ovens as these. See Exodus viii. 3. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY, 



83 



12. It is said by a modern traveller in Morocco, that 
the Emperor, not using knives and forks, for these 
have never been introduced into the East, took his 
meat with his fingers and when they became greasy 
he wiped them on the woolly head of a negro boj, 
who stood by him for that purpose. Now the Jews in 
like manner took their meat in their fingers, but 
wiped them when necessary with soft pieces or crumbs 
of bread; these w r ere then given to the dogs. This 
custom explains the passage, in Luke xvi. 21 and 

| Mark vii. 28. 

13. It is a custom in the East to make presents 
to a person when one goes to visit him. Travellers tell 

I us that even the poor in these countries do not visit 
i without a present ; either a flower, a few radishes, or 
\ dates, or fruit of some kind. The Queen of Sheba did 
• not visit Solomon without bringing with her costly pre- 
I sents. See 1 Kings x. 11. 

Questions. 



1, What of the houses in many Asiatic coun- 

tries ? 

2, What of the windows ? 

When a person wished to see anything in 
the streets, or proclaim anything; where 
would he go ? 

Recite the passage from Matthew relative to 
the custom of going to the house-top. 

3, What of the climate of the east ? 

How are the tops of the houses built in the 

east? 
What do the eastern people do on the tops of 

their houses ? 



Did the people hold social intercourse on the 

tops of the houses ? 
Repeat the passage relating to this custom. 

5. What custom had the Jews in relation to 

flax? 
Repeat the passage in Joshua. 
What of incense ? Repeat the passage. 
What of Prayer ? Repeat the passage. 

6. Did the people use chairs ? 
What do they sit upon ? 

What do they cover themselves with in sleep- 
ing ? 



84 



BIBLE GEOGBAPHY. 



^ ''• * led I- return i far* 

ment he had 1 1 i row i d, i Btore night ? 
Ren .a the paj . .■ refw red u>. 

\\ i>\ n 

Repeat ihe paj a ■ referred to. 

W li 1 -I bOW ii.. .1 w n | 

II hai waa common In the m I I 
Repeat the pai sages refei red to 
\\ hat oi Lhf h 
What art the Inj i In tin- aael now called ) 
ii>. \\ hat ol the bread oJ the J< 



9 



\\ hat "i ui.i.'.iv ened bread f 

\\ h it i unloayened bread I 
i l w hat oi oi ' 

Repeat the paw a ■•<• refbrred to, 
12, Dig the Jew* um knlvet and (orkal 

\\ hat did ihej uae to wipe their tinkers with 
in. toad "f napfe In 

Repeat the paai agei reiki red to 
13 w hat >>i pretenti ; The poor I Quota of 
Shebe I 

Repeat the pi .red to. 



LESSON XVIII. 
Manners and customs of the Jews continued; agricul- 
ture, clothing, dress, trade or commerce, and money. 

The Israelites devoted their principal attention to 
cattle and the cultivation of the land, particularly in early 

times. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all shepherds, 
and had large flocks and herds. 

2. li is said (hat Isaac sowed and the Lord blessed 

him, so that he received a hundred fold. Gen. xxvii, 
12. Indeed we are informed that Cain was a tiller of 
tin 4 ground and Abel was a keeper of sheep. Moses, 

when he left the court of Pharaoh, kept the (locks of his 
father-in-law on Mount lloreb. Exodus iii. 1. 

;>. Most of the judges and kings of Israel were form- 
ers, When the angel appeared to Gideon he found him 
threshing. Judges vi, 2. After Saul was appointed 

king, he looked alter his father's cattle, l Samuel \i. 5. 
4. It is pleasant to know that these great men were 



86 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

farmers and herdsmen, and that God bestowed favor 
upon them, and thus rendered honor to persons who 
labored for a living. This should teach us to respect 
those who are industrious, and it should teach us also to 
desire an active rather than an idle life. 

5. It does not appear that there was a great variety of 
trades among the ancient Jews. There were smiths, car- 
penters and potters. Some families wrought in fine linen ; 
and probably wove cloths of various kinds for their dress. 

6. This consisted of fabrics made of wool, the hair of 
goats, camels and horses. A very coarse kind of cloth 
was made for tents, awnings, and other purposes, from 
the coarse hair of various animals. This was called 
sackcloth. It was worn for mourning ; the poor used to 
wear it and the prophets also. 

7. In this country the fashion of dress is constantly 
changing, and the clothes being made to fit close to the 
body, it is necessary to have persons devoted to the art 
of making them. It is otherwise in Eastern countries ; 
there the fashion of dress has undergone little change 
for thousands of years. 

8. The principal garment of the Jews consisted of a 
robe or mantle, formed of one large piece of cloth ; this 
was thrown loosely about the body, and had a graceful 
eifect. This fashion prevails with the Turks at the pre- 
sent day and answers very well for an indolent and lux- 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 87 



urious people ; but it would not do for the smart, stirring, 
busy people of our own times either in Europe or 
America. 

9. In the early ages the Jews went bareheaded, but 
during their captivity in Babylon they adopted the tur- 
ban. The leg was generally bare from the knee, and 
the foot was only protected by a sole of hide, leather 
or wood. 

10. The first mention of commerce in the Scriptures, 
is in reference to the Midianites and the Ishmaelites, 
who were carrying into Egypt, spices, balm and myrrh, 
which were greatly used for embalming dead bodies. 

11. Tyre which was built twelve hundred and fifty- 
one years before Christ, appears to have been early en- 
gaged in commerce; the people therefore became very 
wealthy. The Bible tells us that, " her merchants were 
princes and her traffickers the honorable of the earth." 

12. Solomon understood the advantages of commerce 
and engaged in it with considerable spirit ; he had a 
number of ships which traded to different parts of the 
Mediterranean. Silver was brought into Canaan in such 
quantities as to be little valued, and gold from Ophir, a 
place whose situation is not exactly known, became 
very abundant. 

13. Money with us consists of pieces of gold, silver, 
or copper, with a government stamp upon them; we also 



88 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

call bank bills money, because we can get silver and 
gold money at the banks for them. Among the ancient 
Jews however, money consisted only of gold and silver, 
which were not coined or stamped, but passed by weight. 
But after the Jews came from Babylon it appears that 
they coined money. 

14. In the time of our Saviour the Roman coins were 
in use. It appears that these were stamped with the 
image of the Roman emperor. See Matthew xxii. 
20, 21. 

15. The money-changers spoken of in the Bible, were 
persons who for a small compensation, and to accommo- 
date those who came there to worship, or to attend the 
feasts, gave smaller pieces of money for larger ones, or 
domestic coin for foreign ; and as the Jews were all 
obliged to contribute for the support of the temple, the 
business was quite profitable. See Matthew xxi. 12. 

^16. I have thus told you of some of the manners and 
customs which prevailed among Eastern nations, and 
also among the Jews. It is a curious thing to trace the 
various modes of life in different countries and ages ; 
but it is particularly interesting to learn the ancient cus- 
toms of the Jews, for by this means we can understand 
many passages of Scripture which would otherwise seem 
very obscure. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



89 



Questions. 



1. To what did the early Jews devote them- 

selves ? 
"What of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ? 

2. What of Isaac ? Repeat the passage. 
What of Cain and Abel ? 

What of Moses ? Repeat the passage. 
8. Judges and Kings ? Gideon ? 

Repeat the passage. Saul ? 

Repeat the passage. 
4. What is it pleasant to know ? 

What should this teach us ? 

What should we desire ? 
& What of trades among the ancient Jews ? 

What of the families ? 

6, What were the cloths made of ? 
^ How was sackcloth made ? 

What use was made of it ? 

7. What of the fashion of dress h.this country ? 



The fashion in eastern countries ? 

8. The principal garment of the Jews ? The 

Turks ? 

9. What of the head-dress of the Jews ? 
The leg ? The foot ? 

10. What is the first mention of trade or com- 

merce in the Bible? 

11. What of Tyre? 

12. Solomon ? Silver ? Gold ? 

13. What is money with us ? 

What was money among the ancient Jews ? 
When did the Jews coin or stamp theif 
money ? 

14. What of the Roman coins ? 
Repeat the passage referred to. 

15. What of money-changers? 
Repeat the passage referred to. 



LESSON XIX. 

About the labors of the Apostles ; the great work they had 

to perform in spreading the Gospel. 

1. I hope you are now pretty well acquainted with^ 
Palestine ! I shall therefore proceed to tell you about the 
other countries mentioned in the New Testament. 

2. I suppose you have read and remember the 
story of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension to 
Heaven. You also remember, that after these events, 
agreeably to his command, the disciples set out, some 

I one way and some another, to spread the glad tidings of 
I his gospel. 

3. We who live in this day, who hear the Gospel 
; preached, who feel its influence, and see its blessings, 



90 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

are apt to think that things have always been as they 
are now. But this is not so ; when Christ came, the 
world had lost the knowledge of God and knew not the 
ways of righteousness. 

4. Almost all the nations were idolaters; that is to say, 
they believed in a great many gods and goddesses, 
which did not exist, and worshipped their images made 
of wood, stone and metal. This kind of worship did 
them no good ; on the contrary, it made them more and 
more wicked. 

5. The Jews themselves, God's chosen people, were 
many of them idolaters and almost all had ceased to 
worship the only living and true God. Such was the 
dark and dismal condition of this world when Christ 
came. God was not worshipped in sincerity and truth, 
and as mankind wandered from Him, they forgot their 
duties to each other ; they were selfish, treacherous and 
cruel ; the poor were oppressed ; the rich were haughty 
and proud. 

6. Men were dishonest in their dealings ; they were 
also very revengeful ; to forgive an injury, which Christ 
has taught us is very noble, was then held to be great 
meanness; brotherly -kindness, charity, and goodwill to 
men — which we now know to be according to the will of 
God — were in those days, either unknown, or held in 
contempt 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 91 

7. More than all this, there was great doubt and dif- 
ference of opinion as to a future state of existence ; 
some denied it altogether, and those who believed in 
it, differed very much as to what that future state was 
to be. 

8. Christ taught the certainty of a future existence, a 
state into which all must pass — some for happiness and 
some for wo. To secure this happiness and escape 
this wo, or in other words to obtain Salvation, was repre- 
sented by Him as the most important object that could 
be presented to the mind ; accordingly He pointed out 
with anxious care, the means by which Salvation could 
be attained. 

9. You will now perceive what a vast work Christ 
committed to his apostles in commanding them to go 
forth and spread the Gospel ; it was nothing less than to 
overturn the established opinions of the whole world, 
and substitute in their place a set of doctrines and views 
of an opposite character. They were to attack all the 
prevalent religions, batter down the prejudices and dis- 
pel the superstitions to which the minds of men clung 
in that day, as they cling to error now. 

10. You must know that in these times there were a 
great many splendid temples, some of stone and some 
of marble, dedicated to false gods. In these temples 
there were images of these gods, and the people came 



92 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

to worship and bow down before them. You must also 
know that many of these people were very rich and very 
learned and thought they knew as much as any body. 

11. Now the apostles were to go to such people and 
tell them that their gods were false ; that their religion 
was wickedness in the sight of the one living and true 
God ; that their temples ought to be torn down ; that 
they ought to give up their pride and follow the meek 
and lowly Jesus ; that they ought to forsake their sins 
and become holy ; in short that they should love the 
Lord with all their heart, and do to others as they 
would have others do to them. Such was the business 
which Christ had committed to his disciples. 

12 And who were they, to whom this mighty work 
was entrusted? A few persons, chiefly from the humble 
ranks of life, by no means distinguished for natural supe- 
riority of mind. Yet these men, without money, travel- 
ling on foot, often suffering the greatest hardships ; some- 
times whipped and sometimes imprisoned ; scorned by the 
rich and hated by the proud — these humble men sowed 
far and wide the seeds of the Gospel ; in many cities 
they lighted the lamp of truth amid the darkness of ig- 
norance, and they prepared the way for that broad sun- 
shine of Christianity which now enlightens the world. 

13. How painful were the means by which this bles- 
sing has been bestowed on mankind ! Christ died for 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 93 

it — and his disciples toiled, suffered, and several of 
them perished for it. Let us not be so unwise as to 
despise or neglect, what these persons sent of Heaven, 
thought of so much consequence that they were willing 
to suffer, toil and die for it. 

14. In the Acts of the Apostles, you will find a most 
interesting account of the proceedings of these Apostles. 
The Jews had rejected Christ and his Gospel; they had 
also put him to death ; they were therefore very little 
disposed to listen to .what his disciples had to say. 

15. But other nations, called in the Bible Gentiles, 
though they were Pagans and idolators, listened to the 
Apostles and many of them were converted to the true 
faith. _ 

16. The labors of the Apostles after the Resurrection,^ 
were chiefly confined to Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, 
Greece and Italy. These countries w r ere at the time 
subject to the Roman government ; they contained those 
portions of the earth where the people w r ere most dis- 
tinguished for learning, taste, and refinement. I w 7 ill 
give you an account of these countries in the next 
chapter. 

Questions. 



2. What did the disciples do after Christ's re- 
surrection ? 
SL What are we apt to think ? 

What was the state of the world when Christ 



4. What were almost all the nations ? 
What is an idolator ? 

Does idclatry do people any good % 

5. What of the Jews ? 



came ? What of mankind at the time Christ came ? 



94 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



6. Were men honest ? 

Did they exercise a forgiving disposition ? 
"What were held in contempt 7 

7. What of a future state of existence ? 

8. What did Christ teach 7 
What is meant by Salvation 7 

What did he represent Salvation to be ? 
What did he take great pains to point out 7 

9. What was the great work which Christ com- 

manded his disciples to perform 7 
What were they to overturn 7 
What were they to attack 7 
12. Who were the persons to do this great work 7 
How did the Apostles travel 7 



How were they treated 7 
What did they do 7 

14. Where will you find an interesting account 

of the travels and sufferings of the Apos- 
tles ? 
Did the Jews listen to Christ'sMisciples 7 

15. Who were called Gentiles 7 . 
What were the Gentiles 7 ■ 

Did the Gentiles believe the doctrines preach- 
ed by the Apostles 7 

16. To what countries were the labors of the 

Apostles chiefly confined 7 
To what were these countries subject ? 
What of the people in these countries ? 



LESSON XX. 
About Syria. 

1. Syria, which I have already mentioned at page 
thirtythree, lay to the north of Palestine. It was 
bounded on the north by Asia Minor, on the east by the 
river Euphrates and Arabia, on the south by "Palestine 
and a part of Arabia,, and west by the Mediterranean 
Sea. 

2. Syria is frequently mentioned in the Bible ; the 
people were engaged in almost constant wars with the 
Jews, from the time of David nearly to the time ot 
Christ, when it became a Roman province. 

3. At this period, its capital was Antioch, which was 
one of the most splendid cities in the world. This was 
the native place of St Luke, and here both St Peter 
and St Paul lived for some time. Here too, the followers 
of Christ were first called Christians. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 95 

4. Damascus, another city of Syria, 136 miles north- 
ward of Jerusalem, appears to have been known ever 
since the time of Abraham ; it is frequently mentioned 
in the Bible, and here St Paul was miraculously con- 
verted to the Christian faith. 

5. This city was famous in later times for making the 
best swords, sabres, and other cutlery ; but the art which 
the people once possessed is now lost. The inhabitants of 
this city were also celebrated for manufacturing beautiful 
silks, to which the name of damask was given, from the 
place where they were made. 

6. Another place in Syria, mentioned in the Bible was 
Tadmor, sometimes called " Tadmor in the Desert ; " this 
was built by Solomon, for the convenience of his traders ;^ 
it was ten miles in extent, but it is now in ruins. You* 
will find a picture of it at page 28. The splendid re- 
mains of this city, consisting of columns and arches, 
beautifully sculptured in stone, show that it must have 
been a rich and powerful city. In more modern times it 
was called Palmyra. 

7. At the distance of thirtyseven miles northwest of 
Damascus, are the remains of Balbec, a very splendid 
city in the time of the Apostles, and then called Helio- 
polis. It .is now in ruins and contains scarcely more 
than a thousand inhabitants. 

8. I must not forget to mention Phenice or Phenicia, 



96 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



which lay along the border of the Mediterranean Sea ; 
it contained the cities of Tyre, Sidon, Ptolemais and 
other celebrated places. In very early times the Phe- 
nicians were famous for taking the lead in commerce, 
navigation and other arts. They were then an inde- 
pendent nation, but in after times their country became 
a province of Syria. 

9. Syria is at the present day subject to the Turks, 
and like every other country under their government, it 
is stamped with an aspect of desolation and decay. 
The term Syria is now applied, not only to what an- 
ciently bore that name, but to Palestine also. 

Questions. 






1. Where is Syria? Its boundaries ? 

What of Syria ? The people ? 

When did it become a Roman province ? 
3. What was the capital of Syria ? 

What of Antioch ? 

Who was born at Antioch ? 

Who resided there for some time? 

Which way is Antioch from Damascus ? 

Where were the followers of Christ first cal- 
led Christians ? 

Where is Antioch situated ? 

Where is Damascus ? 

Which way is it from Antioch ? 

How long has Damascus been known ? 

Is Damascus often mentioned in the Bible ? 

Who was converted there ? 

What was Damascus famous for in later 
times? 



Why were certain silks called damask ? 

6. What of Tadmor ? 
What is the present state of Tadmor ? 
Its modern name ? 

7. Where are the ruins of Balbec ? 
In what direction from Antioch ? 
What of Balbec in the time of the Apostles ? 
Its present state 1 

8. Where was Phenicia ? 
What cities did it contain ? 

In what direction was Tyre from Antioch ? 
What of the Phenicians in very early times ' 
Were they then independent ? 
Did Phenicia become a province of Syria ? 

9. By whom is Syria now governed ? 

What of every country under the Turkish 

government ? 
What is now included in Syria ? 



LESSON XXI. 
About Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia and Rome. 
1. I believe I have already mentioned that the Jews 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 97 

in the Old Testament times, did not know of the East- 

ern continent, as divided into three parts — Europe, Asia 

and Africa ; nor do these names occur in any part of the 

<■ Bible, except that Asia is used in the New Testament, 

• as a name for that portion of country which is com- 

i monly called Asia Minor, or Lesser Asia. It is also 

sometimes applied to a small portion of country around 

, the city of Ephesus. 

2. Asia Minor or Natolia, as it is now 7 called, lies at 
the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea; it 

■is a kind of peninsula, bounded on the north by the 
Euxine, or Black Sea ; on the west by the Egean Sea ; 
on the south by the Mediterranean Sea; and on th§ 
east by Syria, Mesopotamia and Armenia. 

3. It is about seven hundred miles in length from east 
to west, and four hundred in breadth. It is at present 

: under the government of Turkey, and the inhabitants are 
mostly believers in Mahomet. The chief city now is 
Smyrna, to which many vessels go from this country, 
and bring back figs, dates, and many other things. 

4. In the time of the Apostles, Asia Minor, which is 
a very fruitful country, had a great many inhabitants, and 
many cities; it was a Roman province and divided into 
JSithynia, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, 
Pisidia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Mysia, Lydia, Caria, Troas, 
Paphlagonia, and the islands of Cyprus and Rhodes 

7 . 1 



98 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

5. Through the labors of Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Tim- 
othy, Luke, and perhaps others, Christianity was early 
planted in nearly all of these divisions of Asia Minor. 

6. Ephesus, situated in Lydia, was a large and splen- 
did city, having a magnificent temple, dedicated to a 
heathen goddess called Diana. It was reckoned one of 
the seven wonders of the world. Paul spent some time 
at Ephesus, and here St John resided during the latter 
part of his life. Over the church established m this 
place by the Apostles, Timothy was appointed bishop. 

7. The " seven churches of Asia," mentioned m the 
Book of Revelations, were in this region. Their names 
were, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira Sardis, 
Philadelphia and Laodicea. These places, which in the 
time of the Apostles were large and flourishing cities, 
are most of them small and insignificant at the present 
day. Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, was a splendid city 
and the birth place of St Paul. Paphos was the capital 
of the island of Cyprus. 

8 Greece, as you know is situated in Europe ; it is a 
sort of peninsula, running out into the Mediterranean 
Sea. It embraces a large number of Islands, lying to 
the east of it in the Egean Sea, between Greece and 
Asia Minor. Macedonia, lying to the north of Greece 
was considered as belonging to Greece in the time ot 
the Apostles. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 90 

9. At this period Greece was under the Romans, and 
divided into two provinces called Achaia, and Macedonia ; 
Corinth was the capital of Achaia, and was famous for 
its commerce and riches. Athens, one of the most cel- 
ebrated cities of antiquity, was renowned for its learned 
men, for its beautiful temples and for the knowledge of 
its people in the arts. Thessalonica, now Salonica, was 
the capital of the province of Macedonia. 

10. Crete was a large island, lying southeast of 
Greece; Patmos was, a small desolate island, to which 
St John was banished and where he wrote the Book of 
Revelations. 

1 1. The history of Greece is exceedingly interesting ; 
it was peopled in very early times, probably soon 
after the flood. It gradually rose to a pitch of great civ- 
ilization, and was at one time the seat of learning and 
the arts. It was conquered by the Romans, and still 
later by the Turks, to whom it remained in bondage for 
many years. But it has lately thrown off the yoke and 
is now an independent country. 

12. Rome, one of the most famous cities the world 
ever saw, was situated in Italy and lay about east of 

1 New York ; it was built by Romulus, 752 years before 
Christ. It was situated on the river Tiber, and extended 
over several hills ; the climate w r as beautiful and the soil 



100 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

fertile; so it gradually rose to be a mighty city and was at 
one time supposed to be fifty miles in circuit. 

13. In the time of the Apostles, this city was the cap- 
ital of the Roman empire. Here the emperors resided 
in great splendor ; the city was full of costly temples, 
palaces and other edifices ; it also contained several 
millions of inhabitants. 

14. The Roman empire at this time extended over 
nearly the whole civilized world ; it included nearly all 
Europe, a part of Africa and a large portion of Asia. 

'It was the mightiest power of all antiquity, and held 
within its grasp, not only many millions of people, but a 
great variety of nations. All these nations being under 
the charge of Roman governors, had more or less 
adopted the customs, the language and the religion of 
Rome. 

15. The language of Rome was what is now called 
Latin ; its religion had been borrowed from Greece. This 
taught a belief in a multitude of gods and goddesses, 
and required the people to pay a superstitious worship 
to them. 

16. The power of Rome began to diminish soon after 
our Saviour's time, and in about four hundred years this 
mighty empire was broken into ruins. The city of Rome 
gradually decayed, and is now but the shadow of what 
it was in its best days. Yet it is full of remains of its 
ancient grandeur. 



102 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



Questions. 



1. Did the Jews know of the three divisions 

Europe , Asia and Africa ? 
Do these names occur in the Bible ? 
For what was the name Asia used in the 

New Testament ? 

2. What is Asia Minor now called ? 
Where did it lie ? 

In which direction was Asia Minor from Pal- 
estine ? 
Boundaries ? 
& Length? Breadth? 
What is the government ? 
Religion of the people / 
What is at present the chief city of Asia 

Minor ? 
What of Smyrna ? 
4. State of Asia Minor in the time of the Apos- 
tles ? 
Was it a Roman province ? 
How was it divided ? 
6. By whose labors was the Gospel spread in 
Asia Minor ? 

6. Where was Ephesus situated ? 

What of Ephesus ? What of St Paul ? 
St John ? Timothy ? 

7. Where were the " seven churches " men- 

tioned in Revelations ? 
The name of these seven places ? 
What of these seven places in the times of 

the Apostles ? 
What of them now ? 
What of Tarsus ? Paphos ? 

8. Where is Greece ? 

Direction of Greece from Palestine ? From 

Asia Minor ? 
What does Greece embrace ? 



What of Macedonia ? 

9. By whom was Greece gorerned in the time 

Apostles ? 
How was it divided ? 
What of Corinth ? Athens ? 
Thessalonica ? 

10. Crete? Patmos? 

1 1 . W hen was Greece peopled ? 

To what condition did Greece rise ? 
By whom was Greece conquered ? 
By whom afterwards ? 
To whom was it long subject ? 
Present state of Greece ? 

12. Where is Rome ? 
Direction from Jerusalem % 
Distance from Jerusalem ? 
When was Rome built ? 

By whom 1 Situation of Rome % 

Climate ? Soil ? 

What did Rome become ? 

What was its extent at one time ? 

13. What of Rome in the time of the Apostles ? 
What of the emperors ? 

What of the city ? 
Population ? 

14. The Roman empire of this time ? 

What of the nations under the yoke of 
Rome ? 

Language of Rome ? 

The Religion ? 
16. When did the power of Rome begin to di- 
minish ? 

When was the Roman empire broken to 
pieces ? 

W hat of the city of Rome ? 

Its present state ? 



LESSON XXII. 
The travels of the Jjpostles. 

1. I have now told you about the countries visited 
by the Apostles, in their endeavors to spread the Gospel; 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 103 

you will find a full account of their travels in the Book 
called the Acts of the Apostles. 

2. From this book it appears that the labors of St 
Peter, were chiefly limited to Palestine and the city of 
Antioch ; yet it is supposed he may have preached in 
some parts of Asia Minor. 

3. John, sometimes called the Evangelist, and the 
writer of the Gospel which bears his name, preached for 
a while in Palestine, but he was at length banished to 
the isle of Patmos, by the Emperor of Rome. Here he 
wrote the book of Revelations ; he afterwards resided 
at Ephesus, where he died at the age of 100 years. 

4. James, the brother of John, suffered martyrdom 
under Herod Agrippa, as recorded in Acts xii. The 
other apostle James, the brother of Jude, wrote one of 
the Epistles and was bishop of Jerusalem. He was 
here put to death by the Pharisees, A. D. 62. Of the 
labors of the other twelve Apostles, very little is said in 
the New Testament. 

5. St Paul was appointed an Apostle after the Ascen- 
sion of our Saviour ; yet he was the most successful of 
these inspired missionaries in spreading the Gospel. He 
was a native of Tarsus, and at first was zealous in per- 
secuting the Christians ; but while he was one day going 
on this business from Jerusalem to Damascus, he was 



104 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

miraculously converted and became a Christian himself. 
See Acts ix. 

6. Soon after this, Paul engaged very heartily in 
preaching the Gospel and made several extensive jour- 
neys for this purpose. In the first place he went to Ce- 
sarea, Tarsus and Antioch, and then returned to Jerusa- 
lem. In his second journey, he went to Antioch and 
the Island of Cyprus and other places, returning 
again to Jerusalem. 

7. On his third journey Paul went to Antioch, thence 
through some part of Asia Minor to Phillippi in Macedo- 
nia, and thence to Athens ; at this latter place he w r as 
brought before a court called the Areopagus. This was 
composed of the most learned men of that learned city ; 
yet Paul had no fear ; he therefore addressed the court 
in the eloquent manner recorded in Acts xvii. From 
Athens he proceeded to Corinth, whence he returned by 
way of Ephesus to Jerusalem. 

8. On his fourth journey Paul proceeded by way of 
Ephesus to Macedonia, thence to Rhodes, and other 
places, finally returning to Jerusalem about the year 58. 

9. After this the Jews brought an accusation against 
him, and he was consequently taken by way of Antipa- 
tris, to be tried by Felix, the Roman governor, at Cesa- 
rea. Here ne was kept in prison two years, and here 
he defended himself as is stated in Acts xxii and xxvi. 



106 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



10. Being a Roman citizen, he claimed the right of 
being tried by the Emperor at Rome ; accordingly he 
was sent there, in company with other prisoners, under 
charge of a Roman officer called a centurion. 

11. In this celebrated voyage they started from Ce- 
sarea in a little vessel ; in their progress they touched 
at Sidon, sailed round the east end of Crete, and finally 
were shipwrecked near the island of Melita, now called 
Malta. From this place they proceeded to Syracuse, 
and finally arrived at Rome, A. D. 61. 

12. After this tedious journey, Paul remained for a 
long time in imprisonment, but many persons came to 
see him and to them he preached the Gospel. At this 
time he also wrote several of his Epistles. After his re- 
lease from prison, his history is uncertain but it is gener- 
ally believed that he was beheaded by the order of a 
wicked emperor called Nero. 

Questions. 



1. In what part of the Bible will you find an 

account of the travels of the Apostles 1 

2. To what country were the labors of St Peter 

chiefly confined ? 
In what other country is it supposed he may 
have preached ? 

3. Which of the four Gospels did John write 7 
What is John sometimes called ? 

What of his banishment ? 

Where is Patmos ? 

What did John write at Patmos J 

Where did he afterwards live and die ? 

Where is Ephesus? 

4. What of James the brother of John J 
What other James was there } 



What can you tell about this James ? 
What of the other twelve Apostles ? 

5. When was Paul chosen as an Apostle ? 
What of the labors and success of St Paul 
Where was Paul born ? 

Where is Tarsus ? 

What of Paul before he was converted ? 

When was Paul converted ? 

Where is Damascus ? 

6. What did Paul do soon after his conversion % 
Give an account of Paul's first journey. 
Give an account of his second journey. 

7. Of his third journey. 

8. His fourth journey, 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



107 



9. What happened to Paul after his fourth 

journey ? 
In what direction was Cesarea from Jerusa- 
lem? 
How long was Paul imprisoned at Cesarea 1 
Before whom did Paul defend himself? 

10. Why did Paul claim the right of being tried 

by the Emperor ? 
How was Paul sent to Rome ? 
About how far is it from Jerusalem to Rome ? 

11. From what place did Paul and the other 

prisoners embark ? 
At what place did they stop ? 
Round the end of what island did they sail ? 
In which direction is Crete from Cesarea ? 



Where was Paul shipwrecked ? 

In which direction is Malta from Jerusalem ? 

To what place did they proceed after leaving 

Malta ? 
How many years from the birth of Christ duj 

Paul arrive at Rome ? 
In what country is Rome ? 
Is Italy in Europe, Asia, or Africa ? 
Point your finger toward Rome. 
How far is Rome from New York ? Ana. 

about 4000 miles. 
12. What was the situation of Paul for a long 
time after he reached Rome ? 
What did Paul do while in prison ? 
By whom is it believed Paul was beheaded ? 



LESSON XXIIL 

About the first inhabitants of the earth ; where they set- 
tled; Abraham, Lot, fyc. 

1. I have now told you about the Geography of the 
New Testament, but as I have a little room in the follow- 
ing pages, I will tell you something about the Geography 
of the Old Testament. You remember that in the fore 
part of Genesis, there is a beautiful story of Adam and 
Eve, who were placed in a delightful country called the 
Garden of Eden. Here they lived for some time, but 
they were finally driven out because they disobeyed 
God. 

2. There have been many inquiries among learned 
men, with a view to ascertain where the Garden of Eden 
was situated. It is generally believed to have been near 
a place where two rivers, called the Tigris and Euphrates, 
unite. This was in Babylonia, not far from the Persian 



108 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



Gulf. If you will look on the map at page 34, you 
will easily find the place. 

3. The descendants of Adam soon peopled the country, 
and the inhabitants built many great cities ; these were 
probably situated between the Persian Gulf and the 
Mediterranean Sea ; but how far the human race w r ere 
distributed over the country at the time of the Flood, 
we do not know. 



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Distant View of Mount Ararat, upon which the Ark rested after the Flood. 

4. It was 1656 years from the Creation, that God de- 
termined to destroy the human race on account of their 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 109 

wickedness, by deluging the land with water. Noah 
and his family alone were saved, by getting into a large 
ship called an Ark. After the Ark had floated about a 
long time it rested upon a tall mountain called Ararat. 

5. This mountain is in Armenia ; its top is twelve 
thousand feet above the level of the sea and is always 
covered with snow. The Ark having rested here, Noah 
and his family came out of it and when the water had 
dried up, they settled themselves somewhere on the 
banks of the Euphrates, a river which rises in Armenia* 
and flows southeasterly into the Persian Gulf. 

6. The people appear to have increased very rapidly, 
and by and by they began to build an immense tower 
called Babel. God was displeased with this and to pre- 
vent their finishing it, he made them speak different lan- 
guages, so that they could not understand each other. 
Accordingly they left off building the tower and separat- 
ing into different parties, they went and settled in differ- 
ent countries. This occurred about one hundred and 
twenty years after the deluge. 

7. Noah, you remember, had three sons, Shem, Ham, 
and Japheth. Now the children and descendants of 
Shem, at the time of the dispersion, are supposed to 
have gone east and spread themselves over the greater 
part of Asia. The descendants of Japheth are sup- 
posed to have proceeded westerly and peopled Asia 



110 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

Minor and Europe. The descendants of Ham are sup- 
posed to have peopled Africa and the southwest part of 
Asia. 

8. All this you will recollect, took place about four 
thousand years ago. Thus in very early ages the human 
race was extended over a considerable portion of Eu- 
rope, Asia and Africa, and the foundation was laid, of 
those great empires, of which Ancient History gives us 
such wonderful accounts. 

9. Abraham was born two years after the death of 
Noah, and 2008 after the Creation. He was a descend- 
ant of Arphaxad, the eldest son of Shem and was a 
native of Ur, a town of Babylonia. 

10. Abraham being commanded by God to leave his 
native country, and go into the land of Canaan which 
was promised to his posterity, departed, taking with him 
his father, his wife Sarah and his nephew, Lot, besides 
many servants. He had also a great many cattle, for he 
was a rich man and followed the business of a herdsman. 

11. Now Abraham did not settle down and build a 
village or a city, nor did he even build a house, but he 
moved about from place to place, like the Arabs and 
Tartars of the present day, sheltering himself and his 
family in tents. 

12. After having been in Canaan some time, Abraham 
and Lot, who had both a great many cattle, found they 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. Ill 

could not well live together, because there was not suf- 
ficient pasture ; accordingly they separated. Lot retir- 
ing to the plain of Sodom, and Abraham went westward 
to the plain of Mamre, near the city of Hebron. 

13. At this time it appears that Canaan was pretty 
thickly peopled ; there were no doubt considerable tracts 
of land that were unoccupied and here I suppose that 
Abraham and Lot permitted their flocks to graze. But 
there were cities in all directions, and there were many 
nations and tribes, each governed by a king or chief. 

14. Well, as I have said before, Abraham continued 
to wander about from place to place, for some time, but 
at length Hebron and its vicinity became the principal 
residence of himself and his family. He however some- 
times lived at other places and for a while dwelt among 
the Philistines at Gerar, in the south western part of 
Canaan. 

15. I have before mentioned that Abraham purchased 
a cave in the plain of Mamre, called Macpelah, which 
became the burying place of his family. Here the pa- 
triarch was himself buried together with his wife Sarah. 
Here also in after times, both Isaac and Jacob was 
buried. 

16. I suppose you have read the interesting story of 
Joseph, as related in Genesis. Jacob, the father, was 
living at Hebron at the time that his son was taken to 



112 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

Egypt. After he discovered that Joseph had become a 
great man in Egypt, he with his whole family removed 
to that country. 

17. The family of Jacob became thus established in 
Egypt ; their descendants increased rapidly and what is 
very remarkable, they kept themselves separate from 
other nations. 

18. The Hebrews, or Israelites as they are often 
called, because they are descendants from Jacob whose 
other name was Israel, began to find their situation in 
Egypt by no means comfortable; they were treated as 
slaves, and were obliged to work very hard. The king, 
called Pharaoh, passed cruel laws in regard to them, and 
finally commanded that all the little Jewish boys should 
be put to death. 

19. Now one of the Jewish women had a beautiful 
infant boy named Moses, and she could not bear to have 
him killed ; so she made a sort of basket, that would float 
like a boat, and put her boy into it ; she then hid him in 
the edge of the river Nile among the tall bulrushes. 

20. It happened that Pharaoh's daughter, who was a 
princess, came this way and found the boy. She was 
greatly pleased with him, and took him with her ; she 
then went to find some woman to take care of him. 
She chanced to meet with the mother of Moses, not sup- 
posing that she was the mother of the child, and en* 
gaged her to nurse the boy. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 113 

21. You may well believe that the Jewish mother un- 
dertook this task with great joy. She kept him for some 
time, and when he had grown to be quite a boy, the 
princess came for him and took him home with her. 

22. Now the princess was very rich, and lived in a 
splendid palace, and as she loved Moses she had him 
brought up as if he were her own son. The Egyptians 
at this time had a great many learned men among them, 
and Moses went to school to some of them. He was a 
good boy and attended well to his lessons and he soon 
knew quite as much as his schoolmasters. 

23. Thus Moses grew up to be a man, but when he 
was about forty years old, he did something to displease 
Pharaoh ; accordingly he was obliged to go away to save 
his life ; and so he went into Midian, a country lying in 
Arabia on the eastern coast of the Red Sea. 

24. Here he remained for forty years, occupying his 
time chiefly as a shepherd. The time had now arrived 
when God had determined to deliver the Israelites from 

j their slavery in Egypt ; and as He designed that Moses 
j should be their leader, He commanded him, though now 
at the age of eighty years, to return once more to 
(Egypt. 

Questions. 

1. Where were Adam and Eve placed 7 , 3. Did the descendants of Adam build a great 

Why we r e they driven out of Eden ? many cities ? 

%. Where is it supposed the Garden of Eden Where were these probably situated % 
was situated ? | 

8 



114 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



4. Why did God determine to destroy the human 

race ? 
When did the Deluge take place ? 
Who were saved from the Deluge ? 
Where did the Ark rest 7 

5. Where is Ararat 7 Its height 7 

What did Jsoah and his descendants do after 

the Flood 7 
Where does the Euphrates rise 7 
Where does it empty 7 Its course ? 

6. Did the descendants of Noah increase rap- 

idly? 

What did thev bedn to do 7 

What did God do"? 

What was the effect of the confusion of lan- 
guages ? 

How long after the Deluge did this happen ? 

7. What three sons had Noah ! 
What of the descendants of Shem ? 
The descendants of Japheth ? 

The descendants of Ham ? 

8. How long since did these things occur 7 
What of the human race ? 

9. What of Abraham ? 

"VS hat was his native place ? 

10. What did Abraham do ? 

In which direction did Abraham go from 
Babylon to Canaan 7 



1 1 . In what way did Abraham live ? 

12. What of Abraham and Lot ? 

1 3. What of Canaan at this time 7 

14. What place finally became the residence of 

Abraham and his family 7 
Where did he live for a time ? 
15 What of Macpelah ? 

Who was buried at Macpelah 7 

16. Where did Jacob live ? 

In what direction was Hebron from Egypt ? 
How far was it from Hebron' to that part of 

Esrpt where Joseph lived 7 Ans. Probably 

250 miles ? 
What did Jacob do ? 

17. How did the Jews come to be established in 

Egypt ? 
What is remarkable 7 

15. Why are the Jews called Israelites ? 
How were the Jews treated in Egypt ? 
What did the king do ? 

19. Tell the story of Moses. 

23. Why did Moses go to Midian ? 
Where was Midian ? 

In what direction from Canaan 7 

24. How long did Moses stay in Midian? 
What did he do there ? 

What had now arrived ? 

What was Moses commanded to do ? 



p :a LESSON XXIV. 

About Egypt. 

1. As Egypt is one of the most remarkable countries 
on the globe, I must give you some account of it. I 
have already remarked that the works of God, such as 
mountains, rivers, and plains, remain with little change 
from age to age, while the works of man, such as houses, 
temples, palaces, towns and cities rise and fall, flourish 
and decay. 

2. If you were to go to Egypt, you would find the 



116 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

same plains, the same river Nile, the same Sea that were 
there when Moses was living ; but you would find that 
the cities which then spread over the land had fallen 
into ruins, and that the people could hardly point out the 
places upon which they once stood. You would find 
here and there half buried remains of the houses and 
temples and walls of ancient times ; these would tell 
you at once how splendid these ancient cities were, and 
how desolate they are now. 

3. Egypt occupies the northeastern corner of Africa. 
It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, 
on the east by the Red Sea, on the south by Nubia or 
Ethiopia, and on the west by Ly-bia. 

4. It is divided' into two parts by the Nile, which runs 
from south to north, and empties into the Mediterranean 
Sea by several mouths. There is never any rain in 
Egypt, but the country is watered by being annually 
overflowed by the Nile ; these floods occur in the au- 
tumn and are caused by heavy rains in Abyssinia, a 
country to the south of Egypt where the sources of the 
Nile are. These floods not only water the land in Egypt, 
but they render it very fruitful. 

5. Egypt at present has several races of people, 
among whom are many Turks. They are chiefly Ma- 
homedans and for many ages the country has been so ill 
governed that it has grown quite poor. The cities of 



118 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

antiquity have passed away and nothing but their splen- 
did ruins remain ; other cities have been built, but they 
have a gloomy appearance. 

6. The present capital of Egypt is Cairo, or Grand 
Cairo, which has been built about twelve hundred years. 
Alexandria is another large city, but it is much smaller 
than the famous city built by Alexander, about three 
hundred years before Christ. At a place called Gizeh, 
there are several Pyramids, built by some of the Egyp- 
tian kings ; one of these is about five hundred feet high, 
and seems to have the durability of the great works of 
nature ; it w r as probably built even before the time of 
Moses. If so, it has been standing for four thousand 
years. 

7. Egypt is a very hot country and never has any cold 
weather ; it produces oranges, melons, figs, and other 
delicious fruits ; it also yields rich harvests of wheat. 
In the Nile there are huge crocodiles, which are called 
leviathans in the Bible ; there are also vultures, which 
live upon the flesh of dead animals ; and hyenas, which 
prowl about and make a doleful cry at night. 

8. Egypt was settled very soon after the deluge, by 
the descendants of Ham; the people increased very fast 
and in a few centuries they became rich and learned. 
They had the art of erecting very beautiful and magnifi- 
cent buildings ; they understood a great deal about the 
sun, moon and stars, and they knew many other things. 




CROCODILE, CALLED LEVIATHAN IN THE BIBLE. 




»»»»V«»»»»»»»»»««'»«%»«»»%»«»»*«»%»%%»»l 



120 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

9. They were in fact, the most learned nation on the 
face of the globe, and such was their fame on this ac- 
count that young men were sent from other countries to 
finish their education there ; just as many young men at 
the present day go to London, Paris, Rome or Florence 
to acquire knowledge. 

10. In the southern part of Egypt, called Upper 
Egypt, there are still to be seen the wonderful re- 
mains of a city which appears to have been thirty miles 
in circuit. This city was Thebes ; it lay on both sides of 
the Nile ; it was surrounded by a wall and is said to have 
had a hundred gates. Here the ancient kings of Upper 
Egypt, perhaps even before the time of Moses, resided. 
There is nothing now in existence so splendid as must 
have been some of the temples in this wonderful city of 
antiquity; yet it is at present almost deserted; it is a 
heap of ruins, and probably for three thousand years has 
been left to desolation, 

11. The northern part of Egypt, called Lower Egypt, 
is by far the most fertile, and here has been the chief 
population for many ages. In the time of Moses, Mem- 
phis was probably a great city situated on the western 
banks of the Nile, a little to the north of Gizeh. Here 
the kings of Lower Egypt resided for ages ; it was very 
magnificent, filled with palaces and temples, and crowded 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



121 



with thousands of people. But this great city has van- 
ished and the place where it was built is not very accu- 
rately known. 

12. On, or Heliopolis, was situated on the eastern side 
of the Nile, at no great distance from Memphis ; it was 
called the " city of the Sun," because the Sun was wor- 
shipped there and because there was a splendid temple 
in the city, dedicated to the Sun. It is supposed that 
Moses was brought up at this place ; in his time, it was 
a great city, but it is now utterly gone. 

13. Although the ancient Egyptians were the most 
learned of all the nations, they still did not know the 
true God; they worshipped the sun and the moon, and 
even bowed down to the bull, the dog, the cat, the wolf, 
the crocodile, the ibis, together with leeks, onions, 
bears and monsters of their own imagination. 

14. After the departure of the Israelites, Egypt con- 
tinued for many centuries to be a rich and powerful 
country. It was at length conquered by the Persians 
and afterwards, 330 years before Christ, it was taken by 
a famous conqueror from Greece called Alexander. 
From this period it flourished, under the reign of several 
kings called the Ptolemies, till about thirty years before 
Christ, when it was taken by the Romans. 

15. It continued in their hands for a long time but 
finally passed to the Saracens and afterwards to the 



122 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY 



Turks who have since held it. Their government here 
has had the same effect as in other countries ; it has re- 
duced the people to a state of gloomy servitude ; it has 
converted fertile lands into barrenness, and cities which 
once cherished the arts, have become scenes of desola- 
tion. 

Questions. 



2 If you were to go to Egypt what would you 

find? 
3. Where is Egypt ? Boundaries ? 



_ What of the ':frile ? 

In what direction was Thebes from Cairo ? 

Which way was Memphis from Thebes ? 

What effect have the floods of the Nile ? 

What causes the overflowing of the Nile ? 

At what season does the Nile overflow ? 
6. What of the people of Egypt ? 

What of the government of Egypt ? 

What of ancient cities ? 

What of other cities ? 

6. What of Cairo? Alexandria? 
The great Pyramid of Gizeh ? 

7. Climate of Egypt ? 

Its productions ? Animals ? 

What is the Crocodile called in the Bihle ? 

8. Settlement of Egypt ? Its increase ? 
What did the people become in a few centu- 
ries ? 

What arts and sciences had they ? 

9. What of their learning and fame ? 

10. What of Upper Egypt ? 



Describe Thebes as it once was. 
Describe its present state. 

11. What of Lower Egypt? 
What of Memphis ) 

12. Where was On ? 
What of On ? 

13. Did the ancient Egyptians worship the true 

God ? 
Were they idolaters ? 
What did they worship ? 
H.What of Egypt after the departure of the Jews* 
What of the Persians ? 
Alexander ? The Ptolemies ? 
When was Egypt taken by the Romans ? 
15. What of Egypt since ? 

What effect has the government of the Turks 

had in all countries ? 
What effect has it had in Egypt ? 
Which way is Egypt from you? An* 

Nearly southeast. 
How far is Egypt from Boston ? Ans. About 

5000 miles. 
What ocean must you cross to go Egypt ? 
What Sea? «6 sjf 



LESSON XXV. 
How the Jews wandered for forty years. 

1. We will now go back to the period when Moses 
returned from Midian to Egypt. The Jews had been 
in this country 215 years since the migration of Jacob 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY, 123 

and his family, and the time had arrived when they were 
to leave this land where they had been treated like 
slaves, to take possession of Canaan, according to the 
promise made by God to Abraham. You will remember 
that the events I am now going to mention, occurred 
about 1500 years before Christ, or about 3300 years ago. 

2. I have not room to tell you the whole story of the 
departure of the Israelites out of Egypt ; it is very in- 
teresting and may be found in the thirteenth and four- 
teenth chapters of Exodus. It seems that Pharaoh, the 
king, promised to Moses that he would let the people go, 
but he broke his promise several times ; Moses, therefore 
at length led them away, taking a northeasterly direction 
towards Canaan. 

3. The number of the Israelites was immense ; it is 
supposed there must have been two millions, men, 
women and children ; they chiefly travelled on foot, and 
as they passed along, spread over the country for many 
miles in extent. 

4. Moses led them on and at length came to the north- 
western branch of the Red Sea. Pharaoh was very 
angry, and supposing that he could now fall upon the 
people, came out with a great host to attack them. 
With the Red Sea before them, and his armies behind, 
the proud king supposed that he should take easy ven- 
geance upon these runaway Jews, 



124 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

5. But Moses stretched out his hand towards the sea, 
and the waters were miraculously divided, so that the 
immense multitude of Jews passed safely across on dry 
ground. Pharaoh followed, but when he had got into 
the bed of the sea, the waters rushed upon him and his 
armies and they were all drowned. 

6. Moses now led his people forward, they being 
guided by a cloud that passed before them during the 
day, and a pillar of fire that preceded them, at night 

7. I have not time to tell you all about the wander- 
ings of the Jews before they arrived at Canaan. It 
seems that they were a rebellious nation and God 
wished to teach them by experience and adversity, the 
necessity of obedience to him. The whole distance from 
Memphis, the capital of Egypt, to Jerusalem, is not more 
than two hundred and fifty miles, and if they had gone 
directly on, they might have accomplished their journey 
in a few weeks ; but it was God's will that they should 
wander in the wilderness for forty years. 

8. After crossing the Red Sea, the Jews proceeded 
in a southerly direction, keeping for some time pretty- 
near the shore of that Sea ; after a while they arrived 
at Meribah, where Moses miraculously procured water 
by smiting a rock. They proceeded on their journey, 
and finally came to a group of mountains situated in the 
midst of a gloomy desert ; among these mountains there 




MAP SHOWING THE WANDERINGS OP THE JEWS PROM EGYPT TO CANAAW. 



126 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



are two lofty peaks, one called Sinai and the other 
Horeb. 

9. Moses led the children of Israel among these wild 
and dreary scenes, and himself ascended Mount Sinai. 




View of the peak of Mount Sinai. 

Here he held communion with God and received from 
him the Moral Law as recorded in the twentieth chapter 
of Exodus. 

10. After leaving Mount Sinai the Jews proceeded in a 
northerly direction and at length came to Kadesh Barnea. 
Being now very close to Canaan they sent spies to see 
the country and bring back an account of it ; this account 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. * 127 

was on the whole unfavorable, and the Jews were so 
much disheartened that they resolved to return to Egypt. 
God was displeased by this, and therefore decreed that 
they should wander in the wilderness till all over twenty 
years of age should die, except Joshua and Caleb. 

11. After staying a long time at Kadesh Barnea, the 
Jews set out and proceeded back toward Egypt, nearly 
to the place where they crossed the Red Sea ; they 
then marched eastward and came close to the northern 
point of the eastern branch of the Red Sea ; from this 
they proceeded by a winding course to Mount Nebo on 
the western side of Canaan. 

12. Here Moses ascended a tall peak called Pisgah, 
where he could see the promised land of Canaan ; but he 
was not permitted to enter it. By the most extraordin- 
ary skill and by the aid of Divine Power, he had led the 
children of Israel for forty years, and having accom- 
plished his work, he died, being one hundred and twenty 
years old. See Deuteronomy 34th chapter. 

13. After the death of Moses, Joshua took the com- 
mand of the Jews and led them forward. They crossed 
the Jordan, and coming to a city of the Jebusites, called 
Jebus or Jericho, they took it, as I have before told you ; 
they afterwards conquered the various tribes that occu- 
pied the country, and divided their lands among them- 
selves. 



128 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



Questions. 



1. How long had the Jews been in Egypt when 

Moses returned from Midian ? 
What time had now arrived ? 
How long before Christ did the departure of 

the Israelites take place 7 

2. What of Pharaoh 7 

In which direction did Moses lead the Jews 
from Egypt 7 

3. What was the probable number of the Jews 

on leaving Egypt 7 

4. To which branch of the Red Sea did the peo- 

ple come ? 
What of Pharaoh ? 

5. What miracle did Moses perform ? 
How did the Jews cross the Red Sea ? 
What happened to Pharaoh and his army 7 

6. By what were the Jews guided ? 

7. What is the distance from Memphis to Jeru- 

salem 1 
How long did it take the Jews to go from 

Egypt to Canaan 7 
If they had gone straight on how long would 

it have taken them ? 
Why were they so long in going from Egypt 

to Canaan 7 

8. In which direction did the Jews travel after 

crossing the Red Sea ? 



At what, place did Moses smite the rock ? 
What mountains did the Jews come to 1 
Where is Mount Sinai ? 
In which direction is it from Jerusalem ? 

9. Where did Moses receive the Ten Com- 

mandments 7 

10. In which direction did the Jews proceed af- 

ter leaving Sinai 7 
W here is Kadesh Barnea ? 
What did the Jews do when they arrived at 

Kadesh Barnea 7 
What report did the spies bring 7 
What effect had this report? 
What did God decree because the Jews wished 
to go back to Egypt 7 

11. What did the Jews do on leaving Kadesb 

Barnea ? 
Where is Mount Nebo 7 

12. What peak did Moses ascend? 
What did he see ? 

Where did Moses die 7 

How old was he when he died ? 

Repeat the passage referred to. 

13. Who commanded the Jews after the death of 

Moses 7 
What did the Jews then do ? 



LESSON XXVI. 

About the various nations that the Jews found in th& 
land of Canaan; how they conquered these nations 
and divided the lands among the Twelve Tribes, and 
various other matters. About Assyria, and Babylon. 

I. I believe you will agree that the story of the 
Jews, that I have just been telling you, is very wonder- 
ful, but it is not more so than that of their settlement in 
the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the country, 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 129 

which you will remember was about 1450 years before 
Christ, they found it occupied by seven different tribes 
or nations, all descendants of Canaan the son of Ham. 

2. These nations were very wicked, and God com- 
manded the Israelites to put them to death ; in conse- 
quence of this direction, there was a great deal of fight- 
ing between the Jews and these various nations. 

3. Beside the seven tribes that I have mentioned, 
there were six others, living along the borders of Canaan, 
with whom the Israelites had a great many battles. 
Among these nations were the Philistines, who were a 
warlike and powerful people, and considerably advanced 
in civilization ; they lived in the southwest part of Ca- 
naan, along the Mediterranean Sea. 

4. Their chief cities were Gath, Askelon, Ashdod, 
Gaza and Ekron. The people were very idolatrous, 
and after a great deal of fighting, they were finally con- 
quered by the Jews under King David. 

5. In the northwestern part of Canaan, were the 
Phenicians whom I have already mentioned ; they were 
at this very early period carrying on commerce and 
sending ships to various places. The chief towns were 
Tyre and Sidon ; it was Hiram the king of Tyre who 
furnished Solomon with a good many articles for the 
famous temple which he built. 

6. To the southeast of Palestine was the land of the 

9 



130 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

Edomites, or Idumea, where the descendants of Esau 
dwelt. This country which was once fruitful and filled 
with cities, the remains of which still exist, is now bar- 
ren, deserted and desolate. 

7. To the northeast of Canaan was Syria, the capital 
of which was Damascus, which has been already de- 
scribed. Such was the state of things in this region, 
when the Jews came to take possession of Canaan, or 
the Land of Promise. 

8. The Israelites having conquered and taken posses- 
sion of the country, parcelled it out among the twelve 
tribes into which their nation was divided. This divi- 
sion you will see on the map. 

9. After this division, the Jews increased rapidly, and 
in the course of years conquered many of the nations 
around them. In the time of David and Solomon, about 
459 years after the Jews took possession of Canaan, 
the nation had reached their highest point of prosper- 
ity. They were then very rich and powerful, and the 
government was extended from the borders of Egypt on 
the west, to the river Euphrates on the east. 

10. But Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was less 
fortunate than his father ; under him ten of the tribes 
revolted and set up an independent government. These 
formed what was called the Kingdom of Israel, of which 
Samaria was the capital, and here the kings of Israel 
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132 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

11. The other part of Canaan, consisting of the 
tribes of Judah and Benjamin, was called the Kingdom 
of Judah ; this continued to be governed by kings who 
were the descendants of David, for many years. The 
Hebrew nation however was divided and constant quar- 
rels between members of the same great family were 
the consequence. Under these circumstances, the na- 
tion was gradually weakened and finally became a prey 
to other nations. 

12. From the time of the separation, the people of 
Israel became to a considerable extent, idolaters. The 
kingdom continued for about 250 years, when a pow- 
erful king from Assyria came with a great army, con- 
quered the country and carried the principal inhabitants 
away with him, as captives. This happened 722 years 
before Christ. 

13. Assyria, at this time was a great empire, situated 
to the northeast of Canaan ; Nineveh lying on the Ti- 
gris, was the capital ; it was an immense city, fifty miles 
in circuit, having walls a hundred feet high and half a 
million of inhabitants. About six hundred years before 
Christ, it was destroyed agreeably to the prophecy of 
Nahum vii. 8. 

14. At the same time that Nineveh was destroyed, the 
Assyrian Empire was overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar 
king of Babylon. As to the Israelites or the Ten Tribes 



134 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

who were carried into captivity by the Assyrians, it has 
been doubted whether they ever returned to Canaan. 
There is however good reason to believe that many of 
them went back. 

15. The kingdom of Judah continued for a longer 
period than that of Israel ; its capital was Jerusalem, and 
it preserved for a long time the worship of the true 
God. From the revolt of the Ten Tribes to about six 
hundred years before Christ, it had a succession of 
twenty kings ; but at this period the country was con- 
quered, Jerusalem was taken, and the principal inhabi- 
tants were carried captive to Babylon, by Nebuchad- 
nezzar. 

16. It was during this captivity that Daniel, Jeremiah, 
and other prophets, lived. Babylon at this time was an 
immense city, and the capital of the kingdom of Baby- 
lon or Chaldea. This city was founded by Nimrod 
the great-grand son of Noah, as it is supposed on the 
place where the tower of Babel was begun. It rose to 
a pitch of great splendor, and continued for many cen- 
turies to be a magnificent place ; but it was finally de- 
stroyed, and it it is now hardly known where it stood. 

17. The kingdom of Babylon, had been founded by 
the Chaldeans, who were very famous for their know- 
ledge of the stars. It became a mighty empire and 
included Babylonia, Chaldea, Mesopotamia and other 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



135 



countries. This latter province is sometimes called 
Padan Aram, in the Bible, a word which signifies " be- 
tween the rivers." This name is descriptive of Meso- 
potamia, for it lies between the Euphrates and the Tigris. 
18. The kingdom of Babylon continued to flourish for 
a short time, and nothing could exceed the splendor of 
its capital, or the pomp and magnificence of its kings ; 
but like the empire of Assyria which had gone before, it 
was destined to destruction and agreeably to the words 
of prophecy, 536 years before Christ, it was overthrown 
by Cyrus, king of Persia. The Jews having been in 
captivity about seventy years, were many of them per- 
mitted by Cyrus to return to their country, and under 
Nehemiah, Jerusalem was rebuilt and the temple revived. 

Questions. 



1. How long before Christ did the Jews take 

possession of Canaan ? 
How long was this from the time of Abra- 
.ham? 
Who occupied the land of Canaan when the 

Jews came there ? 

2. What did God command the Jews to do ? 
What was the reason of this command ? 
What was the consequence of God's com- 
mand ? 

& What of other tribes along the borders of 
Canaan ? 
What of the Philistines ? 
Where did they live ? 

4. What were the chief cities ? 
What of the people ? 

5. What of the Phenicians ? 
Chief towns of Phoenicia? 
What of Hiram ? 

6. What of Edom? 

7. What of Syria ? 



8. What did the Jews do after taking 

sion of Canaan r 

What two tribes occupied the north of Ca- 
naan ? 

What tribes lay along the Mediterranean 
Sea? 

What two tribes occupied the south of Ca- 
naan ? 

What tribes lay west of the Jordan ? 

What two tribes touched upon the Dead Sea ? 

In which direction is Gath from Jerusalem ? 

9. What took place after the division of Canaan 

among the Twelve Tribes ? 
How long after the Jews took possession of Ca« 

naan was David born ? 
At what period was the Jewish nation at its 

highest point of prosperity ? 
What was the state of the kingdom at this 

time? 
What was its extent ? 

10. What of Rehoboam ? 



136 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



What of the Ten Tribes ? 

Which were the Ten Tribes that revolted ? 

What was the name of the kingdom formed 

by the Ten Tribes ? 
What was the capital of the kingdom of 

Israel ? 

11. What two tribes formed the kingdom of Ju- 

dah ? 
What of the government of Judah ? 
How was the Hebrew nation divided ? 
What was the consequence of this division ? 
Why did the kingdoms of Judah and Israel 

become weakened 7 
Why were they conquered by other nations ? 

12. What of the inhabitants of Israel after the 

separation ? 

How long did the kingdom last ? 

What happened to the kingdom of Israel at 
the end of 250 years from its commence- 
ment ? 

In which direction was Assyria from Canaan ? 

How long before Christ were the Israelites 
carried into captivity ? 

13. What of Assyria at this time 2 
What of Nineveh ? 



When was Nineveh destroyed ? 
Repea the prophecy of Nahum. 

14. When was the Assyrian Empire over- 

thrown ? By whom ? 
What of the Israelites ? 

15. What of the kingdom of Judah ? 

What happened to the kingdom of Judah 
about six hundred years before Christ ? 

16. What prophets lived during the captivity of 

the Jews in Babylon r 
Which way was Babylon from Jerusalem ? 
What of Babylon at this time ? 
What of the founding of Babylon ? 
What of Babylon now ? 

17. What of the kingdom of Babylon % 
What of the Chaldeans ? 

What did the kingdom of Babylon include % 
Which way is Mesopotamia from Canaan ? 
What other name had Mesopotamia ? 
Why is Padan Aram descriptive of Mesopo- 
tamia? 

18. What of the kingdom of Babylon ? 
When and by whom was it overthrown ? 
What of the Jews ? 



About Persia. 



LESSON XXVII. 

The Story of the Jews, continued. 



1. The history of Persia, would of itself fill a book, 
but I have only room to say a few words about it. The 
first inhabitants of this country, which lay to the east of 
Babylonia, were descended from Elam, the son of Shem ; 
the people gradually increased until Elam or Persia be- 
came a great empire. Cyrus, whom I have already 
mentioned, was a great warrior and conquered all the 
nations around him ; he became so famous, that he was 
called Cyrus the Great. 

2. The caoital of this empire was Persepolis, and 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 137 

here the kings lived in great splendor ; the empire in- 
creased in power and even Babylon became but a mere 
province of Persia. Media, which lay to the north ot 
Persia, and which had been a powerful kingdom, became 
also a part of Persia. 

3. Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Canaan, Egypt, Asia 
Minor, and Greece, were all swallowed up by the Per- 
sian monarchy ; but this mighty power was overthrown, 
by Alexander the Conqueror about 330 years before 
Christ. From that period it has undergone many changes, 
but Persia is still a powerful kingdom with ten millions 
of inhabitants. Its ancient cities however, are many of 
them no more to be found, and Persepolis, once so mag- 
nificent, is a heap of ruins. 

4. Let us now go back to the story of the Jews. 
Cyrus the Great after he had conquered Babylon, issued 
an order permitting the Jews to return to their native 
country. They had been in captivity as you remember, 
about seventy years ; nearly all, therefore, w T ho w 7 ere liv- 
ing had been born in Babylon ; still such was the love of 
the nation for the land of their fathers, that fifty thousand 
of them left Babylon and went to Jerusalem. 

5. Here, under Nehemiah, they began to rebuild the 
walls of Jerusalem. You will recollect I am now speak- 
ing of the kingdom of Judah ; it is from this time, that 
the people began to take the name of Jews ; before that 
time they were generally called Hebrews. 



138 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 

6. The Israelites you remember, those who occupied 
the country belonging to the Ten Tribes, had many of 
them long before been carried into captivity by Shalman- 
eser, king of Assyria. Some of the people however 
remained ; others came from Assyria and settled in 
the country, so that at the time of Nehemiah, there were 
a great many people there. 

7. A part of the inhabitants were called Samaritans ; 
these as I have said before were a mixed people, the 
descendants of the Israelites who remained in the coun- 
try, and the Assyrian colonists who settled there. 
On the return of the Jews, these people, wished to as- 
sist in rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem ; but as their 
worship was mixed with idolatry, the Jews would not 
permit it; hence quarrels ensued, and in the end the 
Jews and Samaritans hated each other very much. 

8. The work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was 
carried on with such spirit, that in four years after the 
return of the Jews, they were completed, the temple 
rebuilt, and the worship of God re-established. From 
this time the country seemed to flourish. It was how- 
ever subject to Persia, and the people paid an annual 
tribute to that country ; it was in fact a sort of province 
of Persia, and passed under the name of Judea. 

9. The Jews remained in this condition for a long 
time; but 168 years before Christ the king of Syria, 
called Antiochus Epiphanes, sent his armies into the 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



139 



country and the people were sorely persecuted. This 
roused the Jews in their own defence, and under a brave 
man by the name of Judas Maccabeus, they fought 
the Syrians with great spirit. 

10. The war was kept, up for a great many years, and 
the Jews finally succeeded in establishing their inde- 
pendence. Thus, again they were a free people, 
after having been in servitude from the time of Nebu- 
chadnezzar, a period of about 400 years. 

11. In this state, the Jews continued to be governed 
by their own kings for about one hundred years ; these 
kings were the descendants of Judas Maccabeus, but 
sixtythree years before Christ, some difficulties occurred 
between the reigning king and his brother ; so the Ro- 
mans interfered and took possession of the country. 

12. From this time Judea became a Roman province, 
and that part of Canaan or Palestine, which had formed 
the kingdom of Israel, was divided into the provinces of 
Samaria, Galilee and Perea, as I have told you in another 
part of this book. 



Questions. 



1. Where is Persia? 

What of the first inhabitants of Persia ? 
What of Cyrus ? 

2. What of Persepolis ? 
What of Babylonia ? 

What of Media 3 Boundaries of Media ? 

3. What other countries belonged to the Persian 

empire ? 
How was Mesopotamia bounded ? 
When and by whom was the Persian mon- 



archy overthrown ? 

What else can you tell of Persia ? 
4. What did Cyrus do ? 

How long had the Jews been in captivity ia 
Babylon ? 

How many of the Jews returned to Jerusa- 
lem ? 

Where were most of these Jews born 1 

What induced them to go back to Jerusalem? 

What did the Jews do on their return ? 



140 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY, 



From what period did the people of Judah 
begin to be called Jews ? 

What were they called before ? 
6 Who were the Israelites 1 

What had happened to the Israelites ? 

Were there many people in the country, 
which had belonged to the kingdom of Ju- 
dah in the time of Nehemiah ? 

7. What were a part of the inhabitants called ? 
Who were the Samaritans 7 

What did the Samaritans wish to do ? 
Why did the Jews refuse the aid of the Sa- 
maritans 1 
What followed? 

8. What of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, &c. 
What followed the rebuilding of Jerusalem 1 



9. What occurred 168 years before Christ? 
What king of Syria caused the Jews to be 

persecuted 1 
What did the Jews do ? 

10. Did the Jews' require their freedom ? 

How long had they been in a state of aer- 
vitude or subject to other countries ? 

11. How long did the Jews continue to be gov- 

erned by their own kings ? 
Who were these kings ? 
When did the Romans take possession of 

Canaan 1 

12. What did Judea become from this time ? 
What of that part of Canaan which formed 

the kingdom of Israel ? 



LESSON XXVII. 

REVIEW OF THE WHOLE STORY. 

1. I believe I have now nearly finished my story, but I must not forget to 
say something about Ethiopia, or Cush, which is frequently mentioned both in 
the Old and New Testament. This country lay in Africa, to the north of Egypt 
and embraced what is now called Nubia and Abyssinia ; it has been supposed 
that the Queen of Sheba who came to visit Solomon on account of his extraor- 
dinary wisdom, was a princess of Abyssinia. 

2. The inhabitants of Ethiopia were what we call negroes, and consequently 
all persons who were black, appear to have been called Ethiopians in ancient 
times. Hence the observation, Jeremiah xiii, 23, " Can the Ethiopian change 
his skin, or the leopard his spots." 

3. I have now endeavored to give you an account of the various places men- 
tioned in the Old and New Testament ; or in other words I have nearly finished 
what I had to say of the Geography of the Bible. I have mixed up with this a 
little History, partly because I thought it would please you, and partly because 
it was necessary in order to make you understand the things I wish to teach you. 

4. Let us now go back and review the story I have been telling you. In the 
first place, you remember that God created Adam and Eve, and placed them in 
the Garden of Eden, about 4000 years before the birth of Christ. The descen- 
dants of Adam peopled the country along the banks of the Euphrates, but were 
destroyed by the Deluge. 

5. Noah and his family were saved, and again the country along the banks of 
the Euphrates became as it were the cradle of the human family. Here the 
country was soon filled with people, and from this region colonists went forth 
to settle other parts of the world. 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 141 

6. Thus the kingdom of Egypt was founded, and the great empire of Assyria 
arose ; this was overthrown by Babylon, and Babylon in turn was destroyed by 
Persia. This last seemed to swallow up the surrounding nations, and Media, 
Parthia, India, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor and other countries, became prov- 
inces of Persia. 

7. But Persia was overturned by Alexander of Macedon, and the empire of 
Alexander finally fell before the power of the Romans. Rome, the greatest 
empire of antiquity, flourished for several centuries, and then perished to rise 
no more. 

8. Such is the brief story of these nations of the olden time, with whose history 
that of the Jews is interwoven. As a nation, their power has been far less., 
than that of either of the great empires I have mentioned, but their story has 
more instruction in it, and more to interest and amuse us, than the history of all 
antiquity besides. 

9. This remarkable nation you will remember originated with Abraham, who 
was a native of Ur, a city of Chaldea. From this country, he emigrated to 
Canaan, and here his family became established ; his grandson Jacob removed 
with his children to Egypt, and his descendants constituted the Hebrew nation. 

10. After remaining in Egypt, 215 years from the time of Jacob's settlement 
there, the Hebrews set out for Canaan, and after wandering for a long time, 
established themselves in the Promised Land. This they divided among the 
twelve tribes, and after much fighting, subdued the surrounding nations. 

11. The kingdom flourished and in the time of David and Solomon, it in- 
cluded the northern part of Arabia, and a large extent of country around Ca- 
naan ; but in the time of Rehoboam, Canaan was separated into the two 
kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The kingdom of Judah was overthrown by 
the king of Assyria, and the principal inhabitants were carried into captivity, 
to return no more, except, perhaps that a few of them may have gone back to 
their native land. 

12. The kingdom of Judah, many yearsafter, was overthrown by Nebuchad- 
nezzar, but after seventy years of captivity the people under Nehemiah rebuilt 
Jerusalem, and restored the temple. From that time the Hebrews have been call- 
ed Jews. After remaining in this state for several hundred years, they became 
subject to the king of Syria ; but when his persecutions became intolerable, they 
revolted, and under the Maccabees, regained their freedom. But this was again 
lost, and for a long time they remained subject to the Roman yoke. 

13. It was during ths period, that Christ came into the world. Heretofore 
the history of mankind had been one continued tale of battles and bloodshed ; 
one empire had arisen but to be crushed and trampled upon by another ; nation 
rushed against nation, and every plain and valley, whose fertility had tempted 
mankind to cover it with towns and villages, became crimsoned with blood. 



142 



BIBLE GEOGRAPHY. 



14. War, indeed was the sport of kings and princes, and they only looked 
upon the people as playthings or slaves, made to obey and serve them. At the 
same time all the nations had lost the worship of the true God ; throughout the 
wide world, the people of* the cities, towns and villages, the learned and the 
ignorant, the wise and foolish, were nearly all idolaters. 

15. In Borne, in Athens, in Alexandria, in the cities of Asia Minor, in Baby- 
lon, and other places, there were temples dedicated to gods that never existed, 
and here, people of all classes came to worship their imaginary deities. 

16. Christ came then to a world lying in sin and wickedness ; he may be 
compared to a sun rising upon a world of night. He seems to have sepe- 
rated the history of mankind into two great portions ; that which went before 
may be called Ancient History, and may be esteemed the Period of Darkness j 
that which has followed may be called Modern History, or the Christian Period, 

17. Accordingly from Christ's birth, we begin a .new date, and reckon the 
years from that period. Thus we call the present year 1836, because it is 183b 
years since he was born. After preaching to mankind for a few years, and 
unfolding to them the most wonderful truths, Christ took his departure and left 
the Apostles to convey to other nations, the doctrines which he had taught. 

18. These pious men, set out upon their various missions, some to one coun- 
try and some to another. Paul, the great Apostle of the Gentiles, made a num- 
ber of journies, and visiting various cities in Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor and 
Greece, finally terminated his career at Rome. 

19. It would be interesting to go on and pursue the story of the Christian Re- 
ligion, after the death of the Apostles. But I can only say that it had to strug- 
gle with much opposition ; yet gradually extended its influence, like the as- 
cending sun it .shed its light over a great part of the world. 

Questions. 



1. Where was Ethiopia of Cush ? 
What dM it include ? 

What of the Queen of Sheba ? 

2. What of the inhabitants of Ethiopia ? 
What of the persons who were black ? 
Repeat the words of Jeremiah. 

What is Geography ? Ans A description of 
the earth. The geography of the Bible 
means a description of such parts of the 
earth as are mentioned in the Bible 1 

What is History ? Ans. History is an ac- 
count of the various events which have oc- 
curred. Geography describes cities, rivers, 
mountains, &c. History tells what has- 
been done in these various places. 



4. When were Adam and Eve created ? 
Where was the Garden of Eden ? 

Point your finger towards the spot where it 

was. 
Where did the descendants of Adam settle % 
Where does the Euphrates rise ? 
Where does it empty ? 
Which way does it run ? 
When did the Deluge happen .' 
Who were destroyed by it ? 

5. W ho were saved from the Deluge 7 
Where did Noah's ark rest after the Deluge ? 
Where is Mount Ararat ? 

How high is it ? 

Where did the descendants of Noah settle ? 



J 



! UL 



iqq: 



BIBLE G&QGRAPHY. 



143 



Where was the tower of Babel ? 

From what country did people go forth to 
settle different parts of the world ? 

What countries were settled by the descen- 
dants of Shem ? What by the descendants 
of Ham ? What by the descendants of Ja- 
phet? 

6. Who founded the kingdom of Egypt ? 
Who founded the empire of Assyria ? 
What empire overthrew Assyria ? 
What empire overthrew Babylon ? 

What co ntries were swallowed up by the 
great empire of Persia ? 

7. What conqueror overthrew the empire of 

Persia ? 

Boundaries of Egypt ? Mesopotamia ? Assy- 
ria ?Babylon?Persia ? Media ? Parthia ? Ju- 
dea? Syria? 

Whan was Assyria overthrown by Babylon ? 

When was Babylon overthrown by Persia ? 

When was Persia conquered by Alexander ? 

When was Rome founded ? 

What countries became subject to the Roman 
empire ? 

When was the Roman empire destroyed ? 

8. Was the Jewish nation equal in power to 

either of the great empires of antiquity ? 
Is their story more interesting and useful 
than that of other ancient nations ? 

9. With whom did the Jewish nation begin ? 
Where was Abraham born ? 

In which direction was Chaldea from Jerusa- 
lem ? 

Where did Abraham's family become estab- 
lished ? When did Abraham go to Canaan ? 

Who was Jacob ? 

To what country did Jacob emigrate ? 

Why did Jacob goto live in Egypt ? 

In which direction did Jacob travel in going 
from Canaan to Egypt ? 

What was the length of his journey ? 
10 How long did the Jaws remain in Egypt ? 

How long did they wander in the wilder- 
ness ? Who led them for forty years ? 

When did the Jews take possession of Ca- 
naan? 

What was the state of the country ? 

How did the Jews proceed ? 

What were the two most northern tribes ? 
the most southern ? the western ? the east- 
ern ? 
11, What did the Jewish kingdom embrace in 
the time of David and Solomon ? 



When was the kingdom separated ? 
How is the history of the Jews connected with 
Assyria-? When did this happen ? 

12. How is the history of the Jews connected 

with Babylon ? 
Who carried the Jews captive to Babylon ? 
When did this happen ? 
How long did the Babylonish captivity last? 
Who flourished during his captivity ? 
What connection has the story of the Jews 

with Persia > 
When did the Jews return from Babylon to 

rebuild Jerusalem ? 
When did the Jews become subject to the 

king of Syria ? 
Under whom did they regain their ind< 

denee ? 
How long were they an independent nation 

under the Maccabees ? 
When did Palestine become subject to the 

Romans ? 

13. How long after the creation was Christ born? 
How long ago ? 

How long after the departure of the Jews out 

of Egypt ? 
How long after the birth of Abraham ? of 

David ? 
How long after the return of the Jews from 

Babyion ? Where was Christ born ? 
Where did he chiefly spend his time ? - 
At what age was he crucified ? - 
What was the state of the world when Christ 

came ? 

15. What temples existed in various splendid 

cities ? 
For what purpose did the people come to the 
temples ? 

16. To what may Christ be compared ? 

How does Christ seem to have separated the 
history of mankind ? What is ancient his- 
tory ? What is modern history ? 

From what event do we reckon time ? 

Why do we say the year 1836 or 1837 ? 

17. How long is it since Christ died ? 

What did the Apostles do after Christ's death? 

Where was Paul born ? 

Where was he converted ? 

From what place did he sail when he was 

carried prisoner to Rome ? 
Where was he shipwrecked ? 
In which direction is Rome from Jerusalem I 
How far is it from Rome to Jerusalem ? 
From New York to Rome ? 






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